Kindred Spirits: Coming Around Again
by autumnrose2010
Summary: Although they'd only just met, it didn't take her long to realize that she'd known him well, once. If only she could remember where and when. Modern day AU
1. Locked Out

Later, she reflected on how their paths may never have crossed had she not locked her keys inside her car.

She'd been too eager to be among the first to arrive at the sale. Her only thought had been how to beat all the other women to the best deals in the shoe department. All her life, she'd known exactly what she wanted and went for it, running right over anything or anyone in the way.

After selecting four pairs of shoes, several new outfits, and a number of smaller objects like costume jewelry and perfume, she'd felt her emotional high deflate when confronted with the total bill at the register - but only for a moment.

 _Not quite maxed out yet,_ she assured herself as she carried the bags to the parking lot. She spent a couple of minutes searching for her keys, then dumped everything out of her purse and put it all back inside one item at a time, but she still didn't find them. Then she looked through the car's window and saw them dangling from the ignition.

Cursing under her breath, she spent the better part of a minute rummaging through her purse for her cell phone. When she found it, she called the police, who put her in touch with a locksmith. Whoever answered promised to send someone; however, she had to give the woman her credit card number. She read off her visa number, the expiration date, and security code, then propped herself against her car to wait.

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the man they'd sent. He was tall and well built, with long, dark brown hair and an olive complexion. He was wearing a gray polo shirt tucked into black slacks and Hush Puppies. As he approached her, she caught a whiff of his aftershave. Very nice, she told herself.

He barely glanced at her as he went to work. Was he conceited or just shy? Not that it really mattered, as long as he did his job.

A few minutes later, he opened the door. "There you go." He nodded and gave her a smile while he held it open for her.

"Wow, that was really fast!" she laughed. "Thanks!"

"No problem at all. I've always been pretty good at this kind of thing." His smile was genuine and exuded warmth. For the first time, she realized how much she was attracted to him. A quick glance told her he wore no wedding ring. She'd already learned her lesson about fooling around with married men, and learned it well.

She smiled back as she extended her hand. "I'm Anne Boleyn."

"Louis...ah, Louis August Bourbon, to be exact." How fitting he should reside here in downtown New Orleans! His ancestors had probably lived here for centuries.

"It's nice to meet you, Louis." If he was really as shy as he seemed, she knew she'd have to make the first move. "I'm free later on, if you'd like to get together at Starbucks."

With a slow visual scan, he took in her long, raven black hair, her onyx eyes, her no-nonsense form-fitting dark red dress that flattered her long, slender legs. He blushed as his eyes rested on her exposed cleavage, but when he brought them up to meet hers, he saw that they were twinkling. Now I _know_ I must be dreaming, he told himself. "Sounds great! What time?"

"Will six o'clock work for you?"

"Six o'clock it is."

She loaded her purchases into the trunk and waved to him as he drove away. She smiled as she turned the key and listened to the engine roar to life.

Six o'clock tonight. She repeated the phrase a couple of times and smiled again. _  
_


	2. First Date

She arrived at Starbucks five minutes late - she didn't want to appear too eager. He was already there, just as she'd known he would be. Their eyes met, and he nodded his greeting. She joined him in the line in front of the register. He didn't say a word until it was their turn to order. "I'll have an espresso." He turned to her. "What would you like?"

"I'll order my own."

"Please. I insist." His eyes held that puppy-dog look she'd always found so hard to resist.

"Very well. I'll have the same, then." She smiled. "Thank you."

"Would you like something to eat?"

"No, thanks. Just the coffee's fine."

They took their drinks to a nearby table, and Louis pulled a chair out for her, just as Henry had on their first date. That seemed like forever ago now.

"Thank you." She gave him a nod and a smile as she sat down. He sat across from her. They stared at one another for a moment, then shared a laugh.

"Um, I'm no good at this." Louis extended an inviting hand. "You go first."

"Very well." She cleared her throat as she gazed into his dark brown eyes. "What would you like to know?"

"Um ... well, whatever you'd like to share." He let out a nervous laugh. She was overcome with the need to put him at ease. It was an alien feeling. Henry had never come anywhere close to moving her in a similar way.

"I'm twenty-seven years old," she began. "I work at the Aquarium of the Americas. I've been divorced for about a year and a half now. My father's an attorney, and I have a brother, George, and a sister, Mary."

"I see." He took a sip of his espresso but made no further comment.

"I believe it's your turn." Anne understood first date nervousness, but would she have to pull every word out of him as if she were extracting teeth?

"Oh, yes. Sorry." He blushed. "Well, there's not much to say. My Dad owns his own business. My brother Joseph was supposed to take it over, but he died in a car accident when he was sixteen."

"I'm sorry." She couldn't even begin to imagine what it would be like to lose George.

"That's all right. He got drunk at a party and crashed into a tree on the way home."

"How old were you when that happened?"

"Thirteen. I woke up one Saturday morning to find my grandmother there and my parents gone. She told us that they'd had to go to the hospital because Joseph had been hurt. Several hours later, they came back and told us that he was gone."

"Us?"

"I have a younger brother, Charlie, and a younger sister, Elizabeth."

"I've always loved the name 'Elizabeth.' If I ever have a little girl of my own..." Her voice trailed off as she stared intently down at her espresso. It all came flooding back. Henry ... the miscarriage ...

"Are you all right?" His voice was warm with concern as his hand lightly touched hers. She gazed up into his eyes and felt a sudden rush of affection.

"I'm fine. Just another memory from the past, but thanks for asking." Her voice was soft. "So have _you_ ever been married?" She was desperate to change the subject, but as soon as she saw the deep pain in his eyes, she knew that she'd asked the wrong question. "I'm sorry. It's none of my business; I shouldn't have asked."

They sat in awkward silence for what seemed to Anne like half an hour but in reality was no more than a minute. Well, now I've blown it, she told herself. Her eyes were on the verge of tearing up when he spoke.

"You have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. They're like bottomless dark pools." He blushed again. "Ah, forget I said anything. I'm such a clumsy oaf!"

"Oh, no, no. That's all right. I'm flattered." Louis brought out the maternal instinct in her, something Henry had never done. At the same time, his obvious simple, honest admiration made her feel special. "You're very kind."

"I'd like to think so." He looked a bit less uneasy, which in turn made her feel much better. "Well, I guess we'd better finish our drinks before they get cold."

The coffee doesn't really matter, Anne wanted to say, but didn't. Hers was almost gone, anyway. An uncomfortable silence followed, broken at last by Louis. "Well, I suppose I've kept you long enough."

"I've enjoyed talking and getting to know you," Anne assured him.

"Really?" He seemed stunned.

"Really. I'd love to see you again, Louis."

He beamed like a schoolboy who'd just won a baseball game. "Here's ... here's my cell number, and my home number, of course. And ... and here's my email, and I'm on Facebook and Twitter, too," she told him.

"And here are mine." Louis scribbled his telephone number and email address on a napkin and handed it to her. She had to laugh at his eagerness. "I'm home most evenings and weekends."

He walked with her to her car and waited to make sure it started. He watched until she pulled out of the lot and had turned safely into the flow of traffic.

* * *

He felt the queerest mixture of euphoria and despair as he drove back to his small apartment. He simply couldn't get over how lovely she was. Just who do you think you are, Louis Bourbon, to think a woman like her would want anything to do with the likes of you? he asked himself.

Joseph would have swept her off her feet, he knew. Joseph had had all the charm he, Louis, lacked. He'd known just the right thing to say and do in every situation, and he'd been their father's pride and joy. Louis, Sr. had been devastated by the loss of his eldest son and had never recovered.

Lost in bitter reminiscing, Louis almost ran a stop sign but slammed on brakes just in time. With a sigh, he continued on his way with only a Katy Perry CD for company.


	3. Henry and Jane

Anne got home to find her answering machine blinking and pushed the 'playback' button. She heard George's voice right away. "Hey, Sis. Guess you must be out. Nothing important, I just wanted to chat. Talk at ya later. Bye."

She wondered whether Jane had stood him up again. She'd always suspected that Jane Parker just wasn't the girl for her brother. Although pretty and slim, she seemed to have an air of superiority about her, as if her beauty entitled her to treat others with disrespect.

Especially Anne. Right from the start, the two women had gone together like oil and water. Every time Anne had made a nice gesture toward her brother's sweetheart, she'd received a harsh rebuke in return. Eventually, Anne had concluded that Jane wanted George all to herself and resented his interactions with any other woman, even his own sister.

Glancing at the digital clock that was perched on the shelf over her bed alongside her favorite stuffed animals from childhood, she saw that it was only a few minutes after nine o'clock, so she dialed George's number. He answered on the second ring.

"Hey, bro," said Anne.

"Anne!" She heard the enthusiasm in his voice, and it warmed her heart. "Hey! What's goin' on?"

"Not much. I thought you had a date with Jane tonight."

"I did, but she cancelled at the last minute. Said she thinks she's coming down with something." Anne heard the concern in his voice, and it made her sick to her stomach. How could he be so blind? "I sure hope it's not serious."

"I'm sure she'll be fine." Anne struggled to keep the sarcasm out of her voice. "I met a new guy today."

"That's great! I've been telling you for ages you should start getting out and meeting people more."

Anne gave a nervous giggle. "Actually, I accidentally locked my keys up in my car, and he got the door open for me."

"Chivalrous of him."

"Not really, since it was his job, but we got together at Starbucks later. He seems really sweet, just awfully shy."

"So will you see him again?"

"I hope so. He's very nice looking, George. He isn't really built or anything, but he has dark brown hair and the most soulful dark brown eyes, plus the sweetest smile."

"Well, good luck. I hope it works out for you, Annie."

"Thanks. I hope so, too."

It took Anne longer than usual to get to sleep that night. She kept going over the date in her mind, wondering whether she'd said and done all the right things. Louis was the first man she'd been out with since her divorce, and she knew that her dating skills were rusty. She smiled as she reflected on how ironic it was that she'd actually felt reassured by the young man's lack of confidence, as if they were both in the same boat.

The following day, she realized with irritation that she needed to do a grocery shop, which ruined her plans for spending the day hanging out in the French Quarter. With a sigh of aggravation, she drove to the local supermarket and, making extra sure her keys were in her hand, walked inside.

Her mood rose with lightning speed when she saw her favorite brand of yogurt on sale, and she began singing 'Stupid Girls' by Pink under her breath as she loaded a cart with her favorite flavors.

After the yogurt, she selected milk and orange juice, then eggs and cheese. She was rounding the corner and headed for the soft drinks when she saw them.

She gasped, wishing that she could shrink to a height of six inches and hide behind a cereal box. The former Jane Seymour was happily chatting away as a charmed Henry nodded and gave an amused smile every now and again. Her belly was swollen with his son. His precious son.

Tears filled Anne's eyes as she swung her cart around and headed for the produce aisle. She finished her shopping as quickly as she could, hoping she could make it to the check-out lane without bursting into sobs.

She succeeded by a hair's breadth and then threw her purchases onto the conveyor belt as the bewildered cashier looked on. Not bothering to make sure that the receipt was correct, she dashed out the door and to her car, where she packed everything into the trunk and sped home.

She'd just gotten everything packed away when the tears started, and once they began, they wouldn't stop. She cried until she could literally cry no more and then cursed herself for the show of emotion.

At least no one had been there to hear or see her.


	4. Kitty and Anna

Deciding that perhaps a walk would help clear her head, she locked the apartment and took off, soon finding herself at the park, where she noticed a couple throwing a Frisbee back and forth. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the young woman was her cousin, Kitty Howard.

Five years Anne's junior, Kitty was petite with blonde hair and big blue eyes. Anne had always tried her best to keep Henry as far away from Kitty as possible. She surmised the handsome young man with short dark blond hair and clear blue eyes to be her latest conquest.

"Anne!" Her cousin had seen her and was running toward her. "Want to play Frisbee with us?"

"I might as well. I need something to take my mind off things."

"Oh?"

"I saw Henry and Jane in the supermarket this morning." Anne gave a scornful snort. "She looks like she's about to squirt a watermelon."

Kitty giggled. "This is Tom Culpepper."

"How do you do." Tom's voice was as smooth as silk as he extended his hand to Anne, and she noticed he had the cutest little dimple in his chin.

"Nice to meet you." She shook his proffered hand. She stayed at the park until it began to get dark, then bid her cousin good-bye and walked back to the apartment, where she found her answering machine blinking again and pushed the 'replay' button.

"Anne? Hi, um, this is Louis Bourbon. I, um, I just wanted to tell you I had a really nice time last night and, um, I hope we can get together again soon. OK, bye."

The poor man sounded so nervous she wished she could somehow transport herself through the telephone line and give him a reassuring hug.

The following Monday morning, she groaned as she slunk into work, barely making it on time. _Someone_ had to clean aquariums, she knew, yet there were so much many glamorous jobs in the world to do.

"Hi, Anne!"

Anne glanced up to see her co-worker, Anna Cleven, smiling at her. Anne and Anna were about the same age and were both divorcees, but that was where the similarities ended. Although not unattractive, Anna was plain and rather ordinary-looking, having none of Anne's charm or mystique. In addition, she was a bit timid and self-conscious. Once at a company party, Henry had referred to her as a 'Flanders mare', although she'd actually been born in Dusseldorf. She'd married an American soldier who'd been stationed in Germany; he'd brought her back to the United States and, upon their divorce several years later, she'd reclaimed her maiden name.

"Did you have a nice weekend?" asked Anna.

"It was all right. You?"

"It was very nice, thank you. I played cards with Charles Brandon and beat him for the first time."

Anne didn't say anything. Charles Brandon was Henry's best friend. Anne had always born a strong enmity toward one him. During Henry's long, messy divorce from his first wife, Catalina, Charles had sided with Catalina completely, referring to Anne as a 'whore' and a 'home wrecker.' Anne had come to resent the close friendship he and Henry shared.

Now that she'd been the one betrayed and abandoned, Anne understood exactly how Catalina had felt. She'd begun to feel deep regret for the pain she'd caused the older woman and her teenage daughter, Maria, and had even considered reaching out to them in friendship but, fearing rejection, had hesitated.

Somehow, she got through the rest of that day and the following two. Wednesday evening, she received another telephone call from Louis. "How are you?" she asked him.

"I'm fine. How 'bout you?"

"I'm OK. It's good to hear from you again."

"It's great to hear your voice again, too. Listen, my Uncle Philippe is holding a fais do-do this coming Sunday afternoon, and I'd love it if you could go with me."

"That sounds really nice, Louis. Of course I'll go." Anne had heard of the Cajun dance parties but had never attended one.

"Great! I'll pick you up at twelve thirty, then."

"Sounds good!" She gave him directions to her apartment, then said good-bye.

The following morning, she was even humming to herself as she went into work. "Something must have happened to make you happy," Anna guessed.

"I met this really nice guy last weekend, and he's taking me to a dance on Sunday," Anne told her.

"That is good! I am happy for you." Anna smiled. "Maybe we both have a second chance at love!"

"Maybe so." Not even the mention of Charles Brandon could dim her good mood this morning.


	5. The Fais Do Do

The weather on the following Sunday, however, turned out to be a different matter.

Dark storm clouds were threatening in the sky as Anne crawled out of bed, glanced out the window, scowled, and then returned to the comfort of her cotton/polyester blend sheets. She'd be damned if she was getting up before it was absolutely necessary on one of her only two mornings out of the week to sleep in, especially when the weather was bad.

It was a little past ten when she finally arose for the second time, stumbled into the kitchen, made the coffee, and grabbed a couple of pop tarts. The rain continued to beat against the windows as she finished her breakfast and cleaned up in the kitchen.

Looking into the closet an hour or so later, she was faced with a dilemma. What did one wear to a fais do do? "Hmm," she mumbled as her eyes swept over the silks, the laces, the chiffons, at last deciding to play it safe with a black polyester/spandex blend with a v-neck and athletic fit. It was sexy but not overly so, she decided. She chose black hose and heels to go with it, and a black headband for her hair, which was so dark she knew it probably wouldn't even show.

As twelve thirty approached and the rain showed no sign of abating, she began to wonder whether or not he'd be brave enough to get out in it, after all. Twelve thirty came and went, then twelve forty-five. She was just about to give up and change back into her pajamas when she heard the bell and picked up the security phone. The viewer activated and his face showed on the screen.

"Hi Louis, when you hear the buzzer, open the door and come on inside. The stairs are in the middle of the foyer. I live one flight up. Knock on the door when you find apartment 201."

When he arrived, she saw that his face was slightly flushed and his hair was wet and dripping on the carpet. He was wearing a pale blue button-down broadcloth dress shirt with khaki pants and oxblood wingtips. "Sorry I'm a bit late." He gave a shaky smile. "Traffic was slow, and a road was closed due to heavy flooding, so I had to take a detour."

"Oh, that's all right!" Relief flooded through Anne. "I'm sorry you got wet. Would you like to come inside for a drink first?"

"It'll have to be a quick one, or my Mom will wonder what happened to me. She's been that way ever since Joseph - well, I just don't want to make her worry."

"Of course. I understand completely." Was he a mama's boy? Time would tell, she supposed.

"Nice place you have here," he remarked as she dashed into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a couple of flavored waters.

"Peach mango all right? It's my favorite."

"It's fine. Thanks."

"We can drink them on the way, if you want."

"Great idea." They walked down the stairs and across the balcony of the shotgun-style building to his car, which turned out to be a late-model four-door beige Kia Rio. Louis went to the passenger side and opened Anne's door for her, and she smiled and thanked him before sitting down.

As it turned out, Uncle Phillipe owned a large, two-story plantation-style house supported by six pillars with an upper-floor balcony with railings and a large front porch downstairs. A small hedge ran around the front of the house, and the lawn was immaculate. The rain had finally stopped, and the wet grass glistened in the sun. Anne moved her lips to form a silent 'wow' as Louis escorted her to the front door, and she could hear the faint strains of zydeco music before they'd reached it.

Louis rang the bell, and they were admitted into the house, where he led her down a short hallway to the room in which the fais do do was taking place. It turned out to be a spacious room about the size of a school cafeteria. One man was playing accordion while another played a rub board, and the floor was filled with couples dancing. A long table on the far side of the room held many different dishes, and a few people were standing around talking. A middle-aged woman with blonde hair, dark eyes, and Louis' face hurried toward them, calling Louis' name.

"Mom, this is Anne Boleyn, the woman I was telling you about," Louis said to her.

"It's so nice to meet you, dear." Louis' mother seemed to have none of her son's shyness as she smiled and clasped Anne's hand. "Louis has told us so much about you."

"It's lovely to meet you as well, Mrs. Bourbon."

"Would you like something to eat?" Louis gestured toward the table.

"That would be nice." Anne hadn't eaten a thing since the pop tarts and was now starving.

Louis had no sooner walked away than Anne heard a voice right behind her. "Well, hello there, beautiful! Where have you been all my life?"

She turned to see a slightly younger and even better looking version of Louis leering at her. "Hiding from you," she wanted to retort but bit her lip.

"She isn't your flavor of the week, Charlie." Louis had returned with her food and was now glaring at his brother.

"Aw." Charlie grinned, obviously not caring in the least as he joined a group of chattering young women, who immediately surrounded him.

"I see you've met Charlie." Louis snorted as he handed her the plate, which was filled with boiled crawfish, dirty rice, and cheese biscuits. Anne thought of her cousin Kitty and wondered how two brothers could be such polar opposites.

"In a manner of speaking." She wondered which of the adoring females would share Charlie's bed that night.

Louis gave a sharp laugh, and then his countenance brightened. Anne saw that a college-aged woman was walking toward them. She bore a strong resemblance to both Louis and Charlie.

"My sister, Elisabeth." Louis gave a fond smile as he embraced the young woman. "Elisabeth, this is Anne Boleyn."

"How do you do." Anne gave the young woman a warm smile as she extended her hand.

"I'm fine, thanks." Elisabeth smiled and shook Anne's hand but didn't meet her eyes. Obviously just as shy as her brother, Anne told herself.

She'd finished most of the food on her plate when the accordion and rub board players began a new song. Louis bowed to Anne. "Shall we dance?"


	6. Mrs Bourbon and Elisabeth

She accepted his proffered hand and allowed him to lead her onto the dance floor. "Step, pause, step, step," he demonstrated. She copied his movements, and soon the two of them were rotating clockwise just like all the other couples on the floor.

"This is fun!" Anne cried. Her breath became labored as she struggled to keep up with him. "You're such a good dancer!"

"Thanks, so are you!"

They danced to three songs, and by that time, Anne felt as if she were ready to drop, but she was determined not to let her exhaustion show. Louis seemed barely winded at all, and oblivious to her distress.

I can't take this anymore! she told herself toward the end of the third song, but she pasted a smile on her face and continued to do her best to keep up with Louis.

"Now we gonna slooow things down a little bit," the accordion player announced. Thank God! Anne told herself.

A Cajun ballad began to play, and Louis pulled her close and put one hand on her waist while clasping her other hand. He was a couple of inches taller than her, and as they began to move together, she looked into his dark eyes and saw that they were sparkling.

"Are you having a good time?" He sounded a tad anxious.

"I'm having a wonderful time, Louis. Are you?"

He grinned and gave a slight nod, and she had a mental picture of him standing on the sidelines, watching his younger brother dance with every pretty girl present.

"I'm so glad I came," she told him.

"So am I."

The song ended, and another began. She noticed that a lock of his hair had fallen and resisted the urge to tuck it back into place. As they moved together in perfect harmony, time seemed to stand still, and before Anne was even aware of it, the musicians had struck up another fast number.

"Want to sit this one out?" asked Louis. "I could use a little break myself."

"So could I."

Louis returned to the food table, and Anne found herself in the presence of Mrs. Bourbon and Elisabeth once again. "Come have a seat, dear." Mrs. Bourbon led her to a chair. "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"I'm fine, thanks."

"I saw you dancing with my brother," said Elisabeth. "You're really good! Have you always lived here or did you move here from somewhere else?"

"I was born at the navy hospital in Pensacola, Florida," Anne replied. "My Dad was in the military, the Jag Corps, and we moved around a lot when I was a kid. When I was fifteen, he got out of the military and opened his own office here. He'd been stationed at Belle Chasse when I was a little girl and liked the area."

"Did you live in any foreign countries?" asked Elisabeth.

"France and the Netherlands."

"Really? Our ancestors came from France, many years ago." Elisabeth's smile looked so much like her brother's that Anne felt a rush of warmth for the young woman.

"How old are you, Elisabeth?"

"Not quite twenty. I'm studying art at Tulane."

"That's great! Maybe you can get a better job than cleaning aquariums." Anne grimaced.

"Is that what you do?" asked Mrs. Bourbon.

Anne nodded. "I work at the Aquarium of the Americas. It pays the bills, so I guess I can't complain."

"That sounds like fun!" exclaimed Elisabeth. "Do you get employee discounts?"

"Of course, and not only that, they're always running specials on admissions. I could get you the information on what we've got going now if you're interested."

"Oh, thank you!"

"Erm - hello." Anne saw that Louis had returned.

"Hello, darling." Mrs. Bourbon gave her son's arm an affectionate pat. "Anne here was just telling us about her job at the Aquarium of the Americas." She turned to Anne. "I wish you could have met our oldest son, Joseph. He was such a bright boy. Ambitious as well." She shook her head. "Such a tragedy."

Louis cleared his throat. "Well, would you like to dance some more?' he asked Anne.

They danced to several more songs, then found a comfortable settee to sit on and talk. "Your mother and sister seem so nice," Anne commented.

"Thank you." Louis took a sip of his wine. "Elisabeth and I have always been very close. I was ten when she was born, and to me she looked just like a little doll. I helped her learn to walk, and later, to read and write. She's been there for me during the lowest points of my life." A shadow passed over his face, and Anne wondered what was on his mind.

"It's that way between me and George," she told Louis. "He's only three years older than me, so we grew up together. My sister Mary is closer to my age, but I've always felt closer to George. There was always so much competition between me and Mary, about our looks, clothes, boyfriends - everything."

"So tell me more about George."

"He teaches history at a local high school, and he's dating a girl named Jane Parker." Anne grimaced. "She's all wrong for him, and everybody can see that but him."

Louis laughed. "They do say love is blind."

"In George's case, _stone_ blind." She had as sudden thought. "Is your sister involved with anyone?"

Louis shook his head. "Elisabeth's pretty religious, and also quite devoted to her studies. It would take a really special guy to catch her attention."

"And to get the approval of her protective older brother, of course," Anne teased.

Louis looked startled for just a minute, then burst out laughing. "That as well."

Elisabeth was a bit young for George, anyway, Anne realized.


	7. Dinner Invitation

Anne was enjoying herself so much she was oblivious to the passage of time until Louis asked if she was ready for him to take her home, and she realized she'd just yawned. "I suppose it _is_ getting late." She looked around and saw that the crowd had dwindled down to less than ten.

"I was just worried that you might be getting too tired," Louis explained.

"I'm fine." She laughed. "I suppose it _would_ be a good idea to get back before the sun comes up, though."

"Yes." He laughed as well.

"Don't forget to email me about the aquarium specials!" Elisabeth called.

Anne smiled. "Of course I won't!"

As Louis escorted her back to his car, she saw that there was a spring to his step that hadn't been there before. Once again, he hurried to open her door for her, giving an exaggerated bow as he did so. She smiled her appreciation, and he beamed.

"Your family all seem so nice," she remarked as they rode along. She'd briefly met Louis, Sr., and even Uncle Philippe, his wife Angelique, and their son and daughter.

"Thank you," Louis replied.

They rode in silence for a few more minutes. "Everything just looks so different after dark, doesn't it?" Anne asked after awhile.

"It's a lot harder to see where you're going, that's for sure," Louis replied.

"When I was a little girl, I used to look up into the sky and wonder how far out the stars went, if there was such a thing as the furthest star or if they just went on forever," said Anne. "Did you ever do that?"

"Nope." He switched the ignition off. "Well, here we are."

He opened her door, then walked her up to her apartment. "Thank you for a lovely time," she told him.

He smiled. "You're very welcome!"

"I would invite you in for a drink, except that I know you have to drive right back."

"That's true, but I appreciate the thought. I'm so glad you enjoyed yourself, Anne. I had a wonderful time as well." He lifted her hand and brushed it with his lips. "Well, good night, beautiful lady, and I hope you have sweet dreams."

"You too." Her feet seemed to have wings as she danced into her apartment.

* * *

Anne arrived at work Monday morning to find that Anna was all smiles. "Guess I don't even have to ask how your weekend went," she joked.

Anna's light, tinkling laugh rang out like a silvery bell. "Charles took me to that new Italian restaurant on the other side of town, and then we went to my favorite lounge and danced the night away! We had - how do you say it? A real blast!"

"I'm glad you had fun." Anne began to don her scuba equipment in preparation for diving into the tank. "I met Louis' family over the weekend at his Uncle Philippe's fais dodo."

"What's that?"

"A Cajun dance party. It was great!"

Wednesday evening, Anne's telephone rang. Expecting it to be Louis, she grabbed the receiver and was surprised to hear her mother's voice instead. "Hi, Mom! How are you and Dad?"

"Doing well. You can come over for dinner on Sunday, can't you? Mary and her family are coming to visit, and you know how much I love to have all three of my children here together."

"Sure, I'll be there! And Mom, there's this new guy I've been dating. Is it OK if I invite him to come too?"

"Of course, dear! The more, the merrier!"

Anne's sister Mary was a year and a half older than her and was married to a soldier named William Stafford. She had two children, four-year-old Katie and two-year-old Eric, and the family lived in Baton Rouge. They spent the weekend with her parents about once every month or two, and the elder Boleyns always invited George and Anne over for dinner when they were visiting.

After hanging up, Anne had second thoughts about inviting Louis. Her father had been ecstatic when wealthy entrepreneur Henry Tudor had taken an interest in his younger daughter, and even though their marriage had come right on the heels of his scandalous divorce, the social climbing attorney had welcomed it. The subsequent divorce had devastated father almost as much as daughter.

Since then, Thomas Boleyn had tried several times to fix Anne up with wealthy, older clients, but she'd found them pompous and boring and hadn't agreed to see any of them again. She knew her father wouldn't approve of Louis; he'd consider the younger man a weakling with no ambition and would discourage her from getting involved with him.

On the other hand, the feistiness that was an integral part of her personality was determined to prove to her family and everyone else that she wasn't ashamed of Louis or of her growing feelings for him. Her mind made up, she dialed his number.

* * *

Louis was so absorbed in manipulating the tiny, intricate components of the watch that he didn't even hear the telephone until the ninth or tenth ring. Several other broken watches lay on the table beside it. He'd acquired such a reputation for repairing broken watches that even acquaintances of acquaintances often contacted him.

Thinking it was likely one of his clients, Louis grabbed the receiver and was surprised but thrilled to hear Anne's voice. "Hey! What's up?"

"Hey, Louis! I'm going to my parents' for dinner on Sunday, and I'd love for you to come with me. My sister Mary and her family are gonna be there too, and so's George."

Louis gulped. Although he was thrilled at the prospect of seeing Anne again, the thought of meeting so many new people at one time terrified him.


	8. Dinner With The Boleyns

"Are you all right?" Anne asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Um, yes, I'm fine. What time on Sunday?"

"They usually eat around noon, so how about if I pick you up at eleven thirty? Is that too early for you?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" He gave her directions to his home, and then they said good-bye. Humming a happy tune, he returned to his watches.

Anne noted that the address he'd given her was in a lower middle class area of town with modestly priced homes. Louis' dwelling turned out to be a small duplex. It was made of wood and painted white, but the door and window had blue trim, and the front steps, roof, and base were also painted blue. A potted plant was beside the steps, and a folded lawn chair leaned against the front wall.

Anne saw that a red construction paper heart was taped to the window and was curious about the child who'd put it there.

She parked the car, got out, and was walking toward the front steps when she saw Louis emerge from the house, locking the door behind himself. He wore a blue and white checked shirt with navy blue slacks and black shoes. He turned and saw her and beamed.

"I was going to ring your doorbell, but you beat me to it!" she told him. They both laughed.

Anne unlocked the car doors, and as soon as their seat belts clicked into place, she turned the ignition, and the engine roared to life.

"Beautiful day, isn't it?" Louis remarked.

"Gorgeous," Anne agreed.

As they rode along, the houses gradually became larger and nicer, and about twenty minutes after picking Louis up, Anne parked in front of the grandest house of them all. It was two stories high and was yellow trimmed in brown, with a three-story rotunda at one end. The attic had two windows, and the porch, which was also brown, was supported by two pillars.

Louis was too awed to say a thing as they approached the porch. Anne glanced at him, hoping he wasn't contrasting her parents' home with his own humble abode. She didn't think any less of him at all and wished there was a way she could tell him that without being too obvious.

She rang the doorbell, and her mother opened the door. "Hi, Mom," she said. "This is Louis Bourbon."

"Nice to meet you. Please come on in." Liz Boleyn stepped aside so they could enter. Anne saw that her father, George, Jane, Mary, and William were sitting on the sofa, watching Katie and Eric play on the living room floor. Anne made all the introductions.

Louis felt his innards quake as he shook hands with Thomas Boleyn. Although the older man smiled and addressed him courteously, his steely grey eyes seemed to bore right into Louis' brain, examining all his failures and shortcomings.

Soon all the food was on the table, and the family sat down to eat. "Would you like to say the blessing, George?" asked Liz.

Her son said a quick prayer, and then everyone dug in while Louis prepared himself for the inevitable barrage of questions. He didn't have to wait long.

"So what do you do, Louis?" Thomas asked as he settled his napkin in his lap.

It was the question Louis had dreaded most. "I work for a locksmith business."

"Locksmith?" Thomas frowned. "Interesting. What kind of degree does that require?"

"It doesn't require a degree, sir. I only had to complete a two-month apprenticeship." He didn't add that the man who'd trained him had claimed Louis was the fastest learner he'd ever met, as he didn't want to appear to be bragging.

"Is that so." Thomas' frown deepened.

"The world _does_ need locksmiths just like it needs doctors and lawyers," George put in.

"I suppose it's something to fall back on if you can't make it in college," Thomas replied.

"Not everyone _wants_ to go to college, Dad," Anne pointed out.

"If you've got a brain, there's no point in wasting it," said Thomas.

Liz cleared her throat. "So how are things in the Officer's Wives' club?" she asked Mary. Anne shot her mother a grateful look.

The family finished dinner, then retired to the living room. "Pecan pie for dessert would have been nice," Liz remarked. "I wish I'd remembered to pick one up a couple of days ago."

"I'll go get one," Anne offered. "I wanted to show Louis the spot where we used to go fishing, anyway."

"Can I go too? Please, please, please?" begged Katie.

"Of course, if it's OK with Anne and Louis," Mary told her daughter.

"It's fine with us," said Anne. Louis smiled and took the little girl's hand, and she beamed up at him.

Five minutes later, the three of them were on the road. Katie, who was usually quite shy around people she didn't know well, chatted happily with Louis, and the two of them kept up such an animated conversation that Anne even felt a little left out.

She drove to the pond, and the three of them got out of the car and walked around a bit. Then she continued on to the supermarket parking lot, where Katie skipped along happily, holding hands with both Louis and Anne. To the rest of the world, we must look like a perfectly ordinary family, Anne reflected. In her mind's eye, it was Henry who walked beside her, their little girl with pigtails bouncing. She had Henry's red hair and Anne's dark brown eyes.

Elizabeth.

Anne had to swallow a lump in her throat.

Over Anne's protests, Louis insisted on paying for the pie, and they were almost back to the car when Katie, who was running along ahead of the adults, stumbled and fell. Louis was there right away, gently lifting the little girl and comforting her.

"My knee hurts!" Katie sobbed.

"I know it does." Louis' voice was soothing as he cuddled the little girl, whose sobbing quickly diminished. "Let's get it taken care of right now, shall we?"

The three of them returned to the supermarket, where an associate bandaged Katie's skinned knee, and then Louis carried her to the toy aisle and told her to pick out what she wanted. A beaming Katie chose a small doll.

Much later, Anne had driven Louis home and was parked outside the duplex when she told him how much she admired the way he'd handled Katie. "You'd make such a wonderful father." She didn't realize that she'd been thinking out loud until the words were already out of her mouth, but instead of looking peeved, Louis smiled and took his wallet out. He opened it and showed Anne a picture of a little girl of about three or four. She had Louis' hair and eyes and looked remarkably like him.

"She's beautiful!" Anne exclaimed. "Who is she?"

"My daughter, Reese," Louis told her.


	9. I Think I Know How To Cheer You Up

"Where is she now?" asked Anne.

"In Las Vegas with her mother," Louis told her.

"How often do you get to see her?" asked Anne.

"Only in the summer and for a couple of weeks in the winter. Um, would you like to come inside? It would be more comfortable than talking in the car."

"Of course!" They got out of the car and walked the short distance to Louis's front door. He unlocked it and let them inside.

The kitchen was sparsely furnished but clean. It was painted off-white, and a window with frilly white curtains was above the sink. In the center of the room was a plain wooden table with two chairs that were also made of plain wood and painted white. The floor was made of scuffed linoleum tiles, and as Anne got closer to the table, she saw that it was also badly scuffed.

"I'm sorry I don't have anything to offer you but ice water," said Louis.

"Ice water's fine," replied Anne, thinking of the pecan pie he'd just bought for her family.

"I wish I had two glasses that matched." He rummaged in a cabinet and pulled out a dark green plastic cup and a slightly larger one that was light blue.

"That doesn't matter." Anne watched as he filled both cups with ice and water and handed the larger one to her, then sat across from her at the table. "I want to hear about Reese. I had no idea you had a daughter."

"That's because I never told you." He smiled. "She's the most precious thing in the world to me. I don't think I even knew what love was until I saw her for the first time."

"How long have you and her mother been separated?"

"About a year and a half." Louis stared down into his ice water. "She and Axel ran away together."

"Axel?"

"Axel Fersen. He's a Swedish businessman. Marie first met him not long after we were married. I was - " He buried his face in his hands, and she placed a gentle hand on one of his arms. It was a long time before he looked up.

"I was born with a condition that made sexual intercourse impossible. A simple out-patient procedure could have corrected it, but my parents never got it done. I guess they were just too focused on Joseph's needs, on making sure he got into the right schools, where he could get the training my father wanted him to have."

To Anne's surprise, his voice held none of the bitterness she would have expected.

"On our wedding night, I couldn't - " His hands covered his face again.

"That's all right. You don't have to tell me. After all, it's none of my business, really."

He gave her a grateful smile. "It was a couple of years before I'd worked up the courage to have the procedure done. Reese was born nine months after I recovered from the surgery, and for awhile, things were really good between Marie and me. The baby brought us closer together, but it didn't last. Axel came back into her life, and what we had together was suddenly gone."

"I'm so sorry."

"I'd loved her since I was fifteen years old. She was only fourteen when we met, and I thought she was the loveliest creature I'd ever seen. To me, she was a goddess. I never said no to her about anything, not ever. She maxed out all my credit cards, ran up debts with her gambling. In the end, I had to file bankruptcy. I'm just now starting to get back on my feet again."

"Why didn't you get custody of Reese?"

"I could never take her away from her mother, and besides, I'm in no position to take care of a child right now. Axel's family is very wealthy, and she'll be well provided for."

"But he's not her father - _you_ are! It's not fair!"

"Perhaps not."

"Why, of _course_ it isn't! Let me talk to my father. I'm sure he could help you, and there's government agencies that can help as well."

Louis only shook his head.

"I can't believe you're not angrier about all this," said Anne. "I was sure mad as hell when Henry took up with Jane."

"Henry?"

"My ex-husband. We first met about five years ago. At the time, he was - " She paused. Did she really want Louis to know she'd had an affair with a married man? "He and Catalina were still married, but it wasn't happy. They had one daughter, Maria, and she never could have any more children after that. Henry had always wanted a son."

"We met at a dance, and things took off pretty quickly. Catalina fought him tooth and nail over the divorce, but I was determined to have him. I was thrilled when I got pregnant. I thought for sure things were going to go my way then, but I lost the baby only a few weeks after we were finally married. I fell into a really deep depression after that, and then he met Jane."

She swirled her cup to hear the now-mostly-melted ice bump against its sides. Other than that, all was quiet. "I guess I learned my lesson about fooling around with a married man." She heard the quiver in her voice and bit down hard on her lower lip, but the sobs came anyway, in torrents. She felt his arms around her, felt him pull her close, felt the warmth of his chest through the material of his shirt against her wet cheek as he held her until she was all cried out.

A few minutes later, she lifted her head to look into his face and saw that it was creased with worry.

"I'm sorry," she told him. "I didn't mean to go all emotional on you."

"That's all right." He smiled. "I think I know how to cheer you up."

Her heart began to beat faster as he got up and walked toward the living room, and she followed him, surprised when he stopped and began to look through his CD collection and selected one. "I've always loved this movie. I guarantee it'll put a smile on your face."

He slipped the CD into the CD player, then sat on the worn sofa and smiled, inviting her to join him. "What's this called?" she asked.

"'Heaven Can Wait.' It's really old, from the 70's, but I love it."

"I don't think I've ever heard of it."

"Sh. Just watch."

She was soon engrossed in the movie, forgetting all about the bedroom scene she'd envisioned instead.


	10. Tragedy

Cuddling with Louis on the sofa, Anne soon fell asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. She awoke to find herself lying there with a quilt over her, pulled up to her chin. All was dark except for the light from the lamps, and she realized that it was very late. "Oh!" she exclaimed, sitting up.

"You missed the end of the movie." She saw that Louis was sitting in the recliner beside the sofa, looking at her.

She yawned. "How long was I asleep?"

He glanced at the clock. "A couple of hours. Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine. Gosh, I guess I'd better be getting home!"

"I guess so. Of course, if you want to stay the night, that would be all right."

"Really?" she grinned.

"Sure. You can have my bed. I'll take the sofa."

"Um, that wasn't exactly what I had in mind." She walked to him and sat in his lap, putting her arms around his neck. "Aren't you attracted to me, Louis?"

"Uh, sure." He grinned.

She ran her hands down the front of his shirt, playing with the buttons. "I'm attracted to you, too." She sighed. "But if you don't like me that way, it's all right."

"Oh, no, that's not true at all! I _do_ like you that way - very much!" He flushed a deep crimson.

"I'm sorry." She stood up and took a few steps away from him. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. I'll just go now."

Without a word, he took her hand and led her out to her car. "Well, thanks for having me over."

He smiled at last. "Thank you for inviting me to dinner, and tell your parents thanks. Everything was delicious."

As she drove back home, Anne wondered how the movie had ended. Oh well, she told herself. If she wanted to watch it again with Louis, she was sure he wouldn't mind.

* * *

As Louis watched Anne drive away, he wondered whether he'd just messed up a really good thing. With Anne sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck, he'd felt desire swell within, but it had been tempered by fear that he wouldn't be good enough. The image of her pretending to be satisfied with him, only to laugh at him later with her friends, filled him with dread.

He smiled fondly as he remembered covering her with the quilt and tucking it under her chin. Fast asleep, she'd looked so vulnerable, so fragile, all he'd wanted to do was to take care of her, to protect her. Yet after she'd awakened, he'd seen another side of her, one that both excited and terrified him.

* * *

It turned out to have been an amniotic fluid embolism that had killed Jane Seymour Tudor. A bit of fluid had entered her bloodstream, leading to respiratory failure, shock, and coma. An emergency Cesarean section had saved baby Edward, but Jane had never regained consciousness.

Anna had told Anne the news one morning at work, her eyes wide with shock. "Charles said Henry was so heartbroken he couldn't even make the funeral arrangements by himself. He had to go with him to chose the casket, the clothing, the music - everything!"

"When's the funeral?" Instead of vindictive satisfaction, all Anne could feel was numbness.

"Friday. There are out-of-town relatives."

"And who's taking care of the baby?"

"Jane's sister, Beth."

Anne went through the rest of that day in a daze. As much as she'd hated Jane, she'd never wished anything _this_ bad on her. Pregnancy and childbirth were safer than ever these days, she'd always heard. Complications were so much rarer than they'd been a century ago.

Yet Jane was dead at twenty-five, and Henry was beside himself with grief. Funny, she thought bitterly, as he'd responded to her own miscarriage with, not sorrow, but rage.

For a man, was losing a wife worse than losing a child? Perhaps, if it was a wife he truly loved.

That evening, she called Kitty and told her the news.

"Holy shit!" the blonde squealed. "You mean she's actually dead, as in, no longer among the living?"

"That's exactly what I mean. The funeral's Friday."

"Aw, that's sad. Too bad I can't go. Tom and I are headed for Vegas this weekend, so I'll have to spend Friday getting ready. I can't wait! You've never been to Vegas, have you?"

"Nope." Anne remembered Louis' telling her that was where his ex-wife Marie and her lover Axel lived now - with his little girl Reese.

"You don't know what you're missing!"

"Maybe not. I'm still reeling from the news about Jane. That was such a shock!"

"But you hated her anyway, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, but I never wished her dead!"

"Well, just think about it like this: they both got their just desserts. She's gone, and he lost the woman he left you for."

"But there's also a motherless baby involved."

"Oh, yeah. That part _is_ sad, but they have relatives to help out, don't they?"

"I guess so."

As the conversation turned to other topics, Anne wondered how Louis would react to the news. He called her a couple of nights later to ask if she wanted to go to dinner with him that weekend.

"Anywhere you want," he told her. "Maybe we could walk around the mall afterwards. I would suggest a movie too, but I'm trying to save my money for when Reese gets here in December."

"Oh, that's fine! What about Popeye's?"

A moment of startled silence followed. "Are you serious?"

"Sure. Their red beans and rice is out of this world!"

"Oh!" He laughed. "For a minute there, I was afraid - never mind. But seriously, Anne, I wasn't thinking fast food. You deserve better than that."

She suggested a medium-priced restaurant, and he seemed OK with that. Then she told him she'd just received shocking news. "My ex-husband's wife just died."

"Really? Oh, no!"

"My friend at work, Anna, told me. She's dating Henry's best friend. Jane was pregnant, and she had some complication. I forget what it's called. Anyway, they were able to save the baby, but they couldn't save her."

"That's terrible." His voice was soft. "That must be her obituary I saw earlier in the paper. Just a second." She heard papers rustling in the background. "'Jane Tudor, twenty-five. Is that her?"

"Yep. The funeral's Friday."

"That's awfully young." Louis sighed. "And I thought _I_ had problems!"

"Yeah, me too." Anne thought about Jane's embalmed body lying in her casket at the funeral parlor. It occurred to her that she'd never seen Henry when he was really sad before. She'd seen him happy, excited, bored, enraged - but never sad.

He must seem like a completely different person now, she concluded.


	11. Reconciliation

Of course she went to the funeral. There'd never been any doubt in her mind that she would. She wasn't even really sure why. Perhaps it was simply a morbid curiosity to find out what a grieving Henry would be like.

At the chapel, she signed the register, sat in one of the back rows, and looked around to see who else was there. Henry's sisters and their husbands, Jane's brothers and their wives, Charles and Anna, Catalina and Maria Tudor, and a couple dozen people she didn't know.

Jane lay in the open casket at the front, her blonde ringlets perfectly arranged against her pale skin, her eyes closed as if in peaceful slumber. Henry sat in the front row, his face wet with tears, family members trying to comfort him, to no avail.

As the priest began the ceremony, Anne found her eyes drifting toward Catalina and Maria over and over again. Would a funeral be an appropriate time to attempt to make amends? She knew that, regardless of how Henry had treated her, Catalina had never stopped loving him and had always thought of herself as his true wife. With the birth of his much desired son and the loss of Jane, would she hope to recapture his love?

At last the rites were over, and the pallbearers lifted the casket and began to carry it to the grave site, Anne and the others all following behind. At one point during the following brief service, it looked as if Henry was about to lurch from his seat in the front row and throw his body over the casket and was being forcibly held back by family members.

When the priest finished speaking, she looked at Catalina, and the two women's eyes met. Gathering her courage, Anne took a few steps toward Catalina. "I'm sorry," she said. Catalina barely nodded in acknowledgement. "He did the same thing to me too, you know," she added.

"Yes." Catalina's voice was crisp, precise. "I heard about your miscarriage. I am sorry."

"Thanks." They both looked at Henry, who was barely able to stand.

"Now it is his turn to know sorrow." Catalina's voice held no malice.

"Yes."

"So how are things for you now?" Anne was surprised to hear Catalina speak again. "Someone new, perhaps?"

"I've been dating this locksmith I met one day when I was stupid enough to lock my keys up in my car." Anne chuckled, and Catalina smiled. "He's kind of shy, but he's really sweet. How about you?"

Catalina shook her head. "I no longer desire marriage. I've decided to dedicate my life to the Lord and his work instead. I am happy for you though, and I hope your new romance works out."

"Thanks." Anne felt as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She turned to Catalina's daughter. "How have you been, Maria?"

"Fine, thanks." The teenager smiled.

"She's doing well in school," said Catalina. "I'm proud of her."

Anne exchanged greetings with Charles and Anna, and then Henry appeared, gazing at her with bloodshot, swollen eyes. "Thanks for coming," he mumbled.

"How's Edward?" asked Anne.

"Doing well. He's a beautiful baby." Henry gave a slight smile.

Anne had very mixed feelings as she drove home. Although relieved that Catalina and Maria seemed to no longer feel ill will toward her, the tragic circumstances of their reconciliation caused a deep melancholy to settle over her.

She spent a quiet evening at home, and was busy the next day catching up on housework. Later, she took a short nap, then showered and got ready for her date with Louis.

She was in the middle of putting on her makeup when he arrived, looking very handsome in black slacks and a grey shirt, his cologne smelling very sexy.

"Come on in and have a seat," she told him. "I'll be ready in a few minutes."

"Sorry I'm a little early," he replied.

"Oh, that's all right!" She returned to the bathroom, where she applied blush to her other cheek, then put on lipstick and lip liner. When she was satisfied that everything was perfect, she went back to the living room, where she found Louis staring at the abstract painting on the wall. He turned to her and smiled.

"Ready to go?"

"Yep!"

He opened her car door for her, as she'd known he would.

"Nice weather we've been having, isn't it?" he asked as he was driving to the restaurant.

"Gorgeous," Anne agreed. "It was a bit windy at the cemetery yesterday."

"Oh yeah, that's right. How did that go?"

"Very depressing, of course, although I did get up the courage to talk to Catalina. "Turns out she isn't still mad at me, after all."

"That's good." Louis smiled. "He must really be something else to have had both his ex-wives attend his third wife's funeral."

Anne laughed. "He's something else, all right." Just not in a good way. "I thought Catalina might still be carrying a torch for him, but she told me she wants to dedicate the rest of her life to the Lord's work. I guess she means like joining a convent or something."

Louis gave an approving nod. "A noble ambition." It occurred to Anne that she and Louis had never really discussed religion.

They entered the restaurant and were handed menus. "Order whatever you want," Louis told Anne, but she remembered what he'd told her about saving money for Reese's visit and ordered a medium-priced dish. Louis ordered only a salad for himself.

"You can't be serious!" Anne exclaimed.

"Really, it's fine. I'm just not very hungry tonight," Louis replied, but Anne suspected he'd probably wolf down a couple of bologna sandwiches when he got home that night.

When her own food arrived, she ate slowly and kept offering to share with him. He accepted a couple of bites but turned all subsequent ones down. When she finished eating, he asked if she wanted dessert.

"Oh no, that's all right," she told him.

"Would you still like to walk around the mall? Like I said, I'm really sorry I can't afford a movie this time."

"That's OK. We could do that. There's a couple of shops I'd like to look around in."

He drive the short distance to the mall, and they entered it holding hands.


	12. Reese

"My cousin Philip is coming from Heidelberg for Christmas," Anna told Anne as the women were shopping together on their lunch break. "He says he's always wanted to see the United States, and now would be a good time to come."

"Cool!" Anne replied. "This one's nice, don't you think?" She held up a navy blue sweater for her friend's inspection. "Maybe I could get it for my Dad and one in hunter green for George."

"I think it's lovely," Anna replied. "And since they are half price, you can buy two for the price of one!"

"That was the whole idea of coming today." Both women laughed.

"While he's here, I want him to meet Maria," Anna remarked.

Anne frowned. "Do you really think that would work out? I mean, she's just _so_ very Catholic, and he's Lutheran like you, isn't he?"

"So what? Charles is Catholic, and we get along fine."

"Charles?" Anne laughed. "He may _call_ himself a Catholic, but he's really no more Catholic than he is Buddhist."

Anna looked shocked for just a minute, then giggled.

Anne grinned. "You know it's true."

The women paid for their purchases and then returned to work.

* * *

Saturday evening, Anne was wrapping presents to put under her tree when she received a surprise visit from Louis and his daughter. She recognized the little girl right away.

"Well, hello there! Come on in!" She stepped aside so her guests could enter.

"Thank you. Come on, sweetie," Louis urged his daughter, who stood staring with round eyes. "She's a little bashful around new people," he explained.

"Oh, that's all right!" Anne knelt to the child's level. "My name is Anne! What's yours?"

"Reese. Are you my Daddy's friend?"

"Well, yes, I'd say we've become pretty good friends."

"Daddy told me I was going to meet his friend. I didn't know you were a grownup lady."

Both adults laughed.

"You sure are a sweetheart," said Anne.

"Thank you. We're going to the mall to see Santa. Want to come with us?"

"Sure, if it's OK with your Dad."

"We'd love to have you along," Louis told Anne.

She put the presents aside and followed Louis and Reese to his car, where he fastened Reese into her booster seat in the back, then opened Anne's door for her.

On the way, Reese began to sing 'Jingle Bells,' and Anne joined in. After a line or two, Louis began to sing along with them. They arrived at the mall, where they joined a long line of cars searching for an empty space. Louis spotted one and began to pull into it when the car behind them darted around them and sped into it. Anne bristled, smothering the curse words that had been about to erupt from her mouth.

"We were there first!" she protested instead.

Louis heaved a deep sigh. "Never mind."

He eventually found an empty spot at the very end of one of the rows. Still steamed about the stolen parking spot, Anne didn't say a word as they got out of the car. It took Reese's delight in the holiday decorations inside the mall to put her in a better mood.

"Where's Santa?" the little girl asked.

"Looks like he's over there." Louis nodded in the direction of the fast-growing line of children and parents.

As they were waiting for Reese's turn to sit on Santa's knee, Louis became enthralled by the electric train running in a long track around the miniature village exhibit. "That's really fascinating, the way that was put together," he remarked. "The way it starts and stops at just the right times - like to wait for the drawbridge to come back down - I wonder whether I could make something like it."

"I'm sure it's controlled by some computer program," Anne replied.

Louis sighed. "Everything is these days."

* * *

"Everybody, this is my cousin, Philip Neuberg," Anna announced at the Aquarium of the Americas annual Christmas party. Anne saw that Philip was a very attractive young man in his early twenties with brown hair and grey eyes. When it was her turn to say hello to him, he smiled and shook her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," he said in a slight but noticeable German accent.

"He's perfect for her!" Anne told Louis after Philip had moved on.

"You should introduce them, then." Louis was watching Reese, who was busy at play with a couple of other children.

"Perhaps we could double date this weekend," Anne suggested.

"Hey, Daddy," called Reese. "Can we go to the park after this?"

"Of course, sweetheart," Louis replied.

"What a beautiful little girl!" Louis and Anne turned to see Philip standing beside them. "Is she your daughter?"

"She's my daughter," Louis told him.

Philip blushed. "I'm sorry. I thought the two of you were married."

Anne laughed. "Oh, no. We're just dating. So what kind of work do you do?"

"I'm almost finished with university. I start law school in the fall."

Later, at the park, Anne watched as Louis pushed Reese in a swing. "You're such a good father," she told him.

"Thanks. I try to be."

"I've always wanted children," said Anne. An awkward silence followed. "Can I push her for awhile?"

"Is it OK for Miss Anne to push you?" Louis asked his daughter.

"Yep!"

As Anne pushed his daughter in her swing, Louis looked on and beamed.

They stayed at the park until it was quite late, and then Louis drove Anne home. "I enjoyed the party," he told her. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Thanks for coming!" she replied. "I enjoyed it, too."

They kissed goodbye, and Louis drove home thinking how much he missed her already. He couldn't wait to give her the present he'd bought her.


	13. Nightmare

"That's them." Anne nodded toward Charles' car, which was parked about a third of the way down the second row, and Louis parked in the empty space beside it.

"Maybe they're waiting for us in the lobby." Anne heard the anxiety in Louis' voice and knew that he was afraid they wouldn't catch up with the other couple.

"I'm sure they're not too far away," she assured him.

"At least this gets me out of an afternoon of babysitting," muttered Maria Tudor. Since the death of her stepmother, her father had become increasingly dependent on her to care for baby Edward, sometimes even to the point of interfering with her schoolwork or extracurricular activities.

"I want to see the monkeys!" cried Reese, who was walking between Louis and Anne and holding both their hands.

"We'll see them in just a little bit," her father promised.

As it turned out, Charles, Anna, and Philip _were_ waiting for them in the lobby. Philip beamed when he saw Maria and went to shake her hand.

"Hi, I'm Philip Neuberg."

"I'm Maria Tudor. It's nice to meet you." She returned the smile as she shook his hand.

"It's nice to meet you as well."

"So how do you like New Orleans so far?"

"It's a fascinating city. There's just so much history! I think I could stay here a year and never get bored. Well, shall we begin?"

The other two couples gave them a few minutes to walk ahead.

"They look so cute together, don't they?" asked Anne.

"I think love is in the air!" Anna agreed.

"I hope it works out for them," said Charles. "She and her mother have both been through so much."

"I know they have," Anne agreed. "I hope I can somehow make up for the part that was due to my actions. For me, this is a start, at least."

"I think it's a wonderful thing you're doing for them," Louis told Anne.

His mind went back to the night he'd first met Marie at a dance following a football game. "I'm Marie Antoinette," she'd told him. "My friends call me Toni."

"I can't call you that," Louis had heard himself say. "You're far too pretty to be a Toni." Then he'd blushed furiously, shocked he'd actually spoken his thoughts out loud.

Expecting Marie to laugh and walk away, he'd stared at the ground. She'd laughed, but she hadn't walked away. "You're sweet," she'd told him. "Shall we dance?"

Terrified of stepping on her toes, he'd led her onto the dance floor, which was really the high school cafeteria, of course. As it turned out, his worries had been for naught, as he _didn't_ step on her toes, and the night was magic. Pure magic.

"Daddy!" Reese's tugging on his pant's leg brought him back to the present. "Aren't we gonna go see the monkeys?"

"Oh, of course, sweetheart!"

Reese shrieked with joy when she saw the rope net on Monkey Hill. Louis and Anne stood watching her climb up and down until she grew tired, then moved on to the reptile exhibit.

"Look, Daddy!" Reese cried. "White alligators!"

"Aren't they beautiful?" Louis asked as his hand quietly slipped into Anne's. Their hands remained clasped as they moved on to the birds.

Enraptured, Reese stood holding to the fence, chortling with glee at the antics of the birds, when suddenly a large vulture flew at her, hissing as it drew closer to the fence. The terrified child screamed and ran into her father's arms. Louis picked her up and held and comforted her until her sobs dwindled down to sniffles. Anne suddenly remembered a sheet of stickers she'd picked up at a restaurant, planning to give them to Katie next time she saw her.

"Would you like some stickers?" she asked Reese, who turned her tear-stained face and watched as she took the stickers from her purse. She handed them to the little girl, who beamed.

"Wow, these are awesome!"

"What do you say?" prompted Louis.

"Thank you!" Reese crowed.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." Anne patted her back.

* * *

It was a bright, sunny day in late spring, and Anne realized she was kneeling in sawdust. A crowd of people were staring at her, waiting in anticipation. She saw her sister Mary, Charles Brandon, and various other people she knew, but George wasn't there. Where was George? Something in her peripheral vision caught her eye. It was a large, wooden, oblong box, and the sight of it filled her with dread. Why was it there?

There was a man holding a sword. She met his eyes, and he shouted at her. Henry was there, and his eyes were cold and hard. She knew somewhere, not too far away, a little girl with red hair, not yet three years old, was crying for her mother.

Elizabeth.

Henry gave a curt nod, there was a sudden movement behind her, a bizarre falling sensation, and everything went black. Anne gasped and sat up in bed, panting and gasping, hot beads of sweat covering her forehead. She hadn't had the nightmare in a long, long time. It had probably been years. What had brought it on again? Was it something that had happened earlier that day? What did it mean, anyway? Was it a distant memory from a previous lifetime? A warning of some sort?

Her eyes found the numerals on her digital alarm clock. Four AM. She wanted Louis more than anything in the world, wanted to feel his arms around her, comforting her as he'd comforted Reese at the zoo, but surely she couldn't call him at this hour of the morning. She'd be certain to awaken him.

With a sigh, she settled back into the sheets, prepared for several more hours of staring up at the ceiling.


	14. Christmas

"I don't believe it!" Anne blurted. "Tom _Culpepper?"_

"That's right. We were supposed to go caroling last week, and she cancelled out, saying she was under the weather. We ended up going caroling in her neighborhood, and when we reached her house, I saw his car parked in her driveway. As soon as I was able to sneak away from the group, I went back to her house. Through a crack in the blinds, I could see them both on the bed, naked and getting it on."

"Oh, George, I'm so sorry!"

"I loved her, or at least, I _thought_ I did."

"I know. I just wish there was something I could say to make you feel better." Anne remembered the day Henry had told her about Jane. She'd just begun to come out of the lingering depression following her miscarriage when her world had come crashing down again.

"I've found someone else," he'd told her. "Someone who makes me smile again, someone who can give me the son I want so much."

"Have you confronted her about it yet?" she now asked her brother.

"I know I should, but somehow I just can't seem to get up the nerve," George replied.

"What an awful time for this to happen - right before Christmas!"

"Well, now I know how Henry felt when he did the same thing to you."

"You _are_ still coming over for Christmas dinner, aren't you?"

"Of course!" he assured her.

"I hope Louis can come by for a little, too. His daughter's in town, you know."

"He has a daughter?"

"An adorable four-year-old named Reese. She looks just like him, and she's so smart!" Anne couldn't help thinking of Louis's sister, Elisabeth. While she now longed more than ever to tell George about her, she wondered whether the substantial difference in their ages would make them incompatible.

"Sounds lovely. Maybe they _will_ come by for a bit."

Anne thought of her cousin Kitty and wondered whether she knew Tom was cheating on her with Jane Parker, but she wasn't overly concerned about her cousin. Kitty would be upset for a day or two but would then take right up with another man, Anne knew.

On Christmas day, she arrived at her parents' house about thirty minutes before lunchtime. By the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen, she knew her mother was cooking and went into the kitchen to see if she could help.

"You can set these rolls on the table for me if you like."

Anne was carrying the rolls to the table when the door opened and George walked in. He wore a pasted-on smile, but Anne could tell he'd been crying. Quickly, she set the rolls on the table and went to embrace him.

"Are you all right?" she asked him.

"I'm all right." His voice was soft.

They were just about to sit down to eat when Mary and William arrived with Katie and Eric. "Sorry we're a little late," said Mary. "We were just about to walk out the door when I saw that Eric had unwrapped half the gifts, and I had to re-wrap them."

Liz chuckled. "Oh, that's all right! Come here, you little stinker!" She held Eric, then Katie, and then the family sat down to eat.

* * *

"Wake up, Daddy! It's Christmas!"

Louis opened his eyes to look into his daughter's excited face. "So it is." He threw the covers back. "Well, let's go see what Santa brought, then." He followed her into the living room.

"Look! Santa drank the milk and ate the cookies I left for him!"

Louis smiled and nodded, licking his lips to remove any remaining crumbs.

Reese squealed with delight when she saw the presents underneath the tree. Louis had splurged, barely even noticing how much he was spending. The only thing he cared about was his little girl's happiness, and from the expression on her face, he'd succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.

* * *

The Boleyns had finished dinner, opened their presents to each other, and were drinking coffee and relaxing on the sofa when the doorbell rang. Liz opened the door to let Louis and Reese in.

"Merry Christmas!" the little girl cried, running into the living room.

"Hello, everyone." Louis's eyes met Anne's, and he took a few steps toward her as she stood to greet him. "How have you been?" he asked her.

"All right." The way she clung to him as he held her and rested her head on his shoulder told him otherwise. He knew he'd have to find out what was wrong as soon as possible.

"I brought presents for everyone." He began to pass out the five-dollar gift certificates for Starbucks. "Sorry it couldn't be more."

"Oh, that's all right!" Liz smiled. "It was kind of you to think of us!"

Thomas Boleyn snorted as he pocketed the card, without saying a word or even smiling.

For the children there were toys, and for Anne there was something extra - a 48-piece make-up set.

"This is great! Thank you!" She hugged his neck.

"You're very welcome. I'm glad you like it."

"Wait till you see what I got for you!" She fetched the only gift remaining under the tree and handed it to him.

"I can't wait to see what it is."

Reese jumped up from her play with Katie and Eric. "What did you get, Daddy?"

Louis unwrapped the package to reveal a bottle of Gucci Guilty cologne. He smiled at Anne as he hugged her. "Thank you very much!"

"You're welcome!"

Louis glanced at Reese, who'd gone back to play with the other children. "Would you like to sit on the porch swing for a bit?"

She nodded and took his hand, and they walked outside and sat on the swing together. Louis took Anne's hands and looked into her eyes.

"Please tell me what's wrong!"


	15. Je T'aime

"It's George," she told him. "Jane's cheating on him. He caught her red handed!"

"I'm sorry," he replied. Memories of Marie's secret trysts with Axel flooded his mind. She'd thought he hadn't known, but he had, and it had hurt him more deeply than words could say. Her eventual departure had devastated him, but it hadn't really come as a surprise.

"I knew this was going to happen someday," said Anne.

"I know how he feels," Louis replied.

"I'm sorry," said Anne. "I didn't mean to bring back bad memories for you."

"That's all right." Louis ran his thumb over the smooth skin of her hand. "I'm glad he has you to help him through it, just like I had Elisabeth." He touched her cheek. "But who did _you_ have?"

She chuckled. "George confronted Henry right after he found out about it. Chewed him out good. They almost came to blows." She sighed, deciding it wouldn't hurt to try. "He's thirty."

"George is?" Louis laughed. "So am I!"

"How old is Elisabeth?"

"She'll be twenty-one in May."

"Do you think that's too much of an age difference?" It occurred to her that the age difference between herself and Henry had been even greater, although at the time, she'd paid it no mind at all.

"I guess not. Why, were you thinking of introducing them?"

"I thought it might be nice for them to meet."

"Perhaps it could be arranged."

Reese emerged from the house. "Oh, there you are, Daddy!"

Louis smiled. "Looks like it's time for us to go back inside. Do you feel better now, Anne?"

"Much." She returned his smile, but her mind was still on the night she'd awakened from the nightmare, how she'd longed to feel his arms around her.

Reese flew back to Nevada about a week later. Anne accompanied Louis to the airport to see her off, saw the woebegone expression on his face as he said goodbye to his daughter and wished there was something she could say or do to make him feel better.

"I can't say I know how you feel, because I don't," she told him as they left the airport. "That's something only a parent would know."

"That doesn't matter," Louis replied. "I can't tell you how much of a comfort it is just to have you with me, and how much I appreciate it."

"Want to go back to your place and watch a funny movie?" she asked, remembering the time they'd watched 'Heaven Can Wait' together.

Louis grinned. "Great idea!"

They watched 'Airplane' and Naked Gun' together. Louis fell asleep on the sofa during the second movie, and Anne had to shake him awake to drive her home.

* * *

When he got back home, Louis drank most of a bottle of wine and fell asleep with his clothes on. Unaccustomed to drinking more than a glass or two at a time, he woke up around noon the following day with a smashing headache. He'd sat through the comedies to humor Anne, but they hadn't really made him feel any better. Although he'd only said goodbye to Reese a few hours ago, he already ached for her. For the couple of weeks she'd been with him, life had seemed full of sunshine and laughter, and now there was a gaping hole in his heart.

Except there was still Anne - beautiful, mysterious Anne with the fathomless dark eyes and the smile that turned his insides to jelly. She was the exact opposite of sunny, laughing Marie, yet enchanting in her own unique way. Since meeting her, he hadn't been able to get her out of his mind, and as he'd gotten to know her better, he'd found himself thinking of her constantly.

He fixed himself a cup of black coffee, sat down before his computer, and switched it on. As it was an older model, he had to wait awhile for it to come on, and he was halfway through his coffee before he was able to access his email. He scrolled through all the Viagra ads and requests for donations to political causes until he found what he was looking for.

'Reese arrived safely' was all Marie had written. It was all he'd expected, and he was happy to receive it.

* * *

One cold, rainy morning in January, Anne woke sick as a dog. Her head felt like it was about to burst, and her nose was so congested she had to breathe through her mouth. When she tried to get up, she was so dizzy she almost fell.

Knowing going in to work was out of the question, she called in sick and then returned to bed. A few minutes later, she remembered she also had a date with Louis that night. She groaned, then called and left a message on his answering machine cancelling the date.

She rested for a couple of hours, then dragged herself out of bed to eat a couple pieces of toast and drink a cup of tea. She was about halfway through the second piece of toast when she was overcome with dizziness and barely made it back to bed without fainting.

She dozed off and on for the rest of the afternoon, and in the evening, she was awakened by the bell. Her heart leaped when she saw it was Louis, and she buzzed him in. He entered the apartment carrying a couple of bags.

"You should be in bed!" he exclaimed when he saw her.

Needing no further convincing, she crept gratefully back beneath the warm, soft sheets. A few minutes later, she smelled a delicious aroma and saw Louis had entered the room with a tray holding a steaming bowl of chicken soup. Suddenly her stomach rumbled.

He smiled at her. "Need some help sitting up in bed?" He helped her arrange the pillows behind her back, then sat on the edge of the bed to spoon feed her the soup.

"Ah, that's so nice," she sighed as the soothing liquid slid down her throat.

"I'm glad you like it. Do you want a sip of hot herbal tea now?"

"It's so sweet of you to come see me when I'm sick!"

"Of course I came. Why wouldn't I?"

"But aren't you afraid of catching whatever I have?"

"I hardly ever get sick."

She finished all the soup and drank most of the tea.

"Feel better now?" asked Louis.

"Loads." The memory of the morning she'd awakened from the nightmare returned. "Will you hold me, Louis?"

Without a word, he took her into his arms and held her tight, and she basked in the warmth and comfort of his closeness, relishing the softness of his flannel shirt against her cheek and the scent of the cologne she'd given him.

"I love you, Louis," she said.

 _"Je t'aime,"_ he whispered.


	16. A Quiet Inner Strength

"Anna says Maria was devastated when Philip told her he had to go back to Germany." Anne chatted away as Louis frowned, struggling to stay focused on the road. "He promised to come back to see her over the summer, but I doubt he'll be able to wait that long."

An eighteen wheeler carrying a load of sheet rock rumbled on just a little ahead of them. The truck slowed, indicating a traffic light ahead, and Louis adjusted his speed accordingly. The rope holding the load of sheet rock seemed to hold steady until, as he watched in horror, a knot began to slip.

 _Get down._

Louis grabbed Anne and threw her down on the seat, throwing his own body on top of hers a fraction of a second before the errant piece of sheet rock plunged through the windshield, showering broken glass all over their bodies.

"W-what happened?" asked Anne.

"Hold completely still, or you'll be cut to shreds!" Louis hissed. Terrified, Anne obeyed.

Within moments they heard the wailing of sirens, followed by a male voice. "Are you two all right?"

"I'm all right, and I think Anne's just frightened," Louis replied.

Within a half hour or so, the debris was cleared and they were able to get out of the car. After ascertaining that Anne was, indeed, all right, Louis just stood gazing at his ruined car in despair.

"You two don't know how fortunate you are," a policeman told Louis and Anne. "That piece of sheet rock came through the windshield right where your heads would have been. If you hadn't thrown yourselves down like you did, you both would have been decapitated."

Anne shrieked and began to sob, shaking uncontrollably. The paramedics helped her onto a stretcher. "Considering the state she's in, we'd better keep her overnight for observation," one of them told Louis.

"I'm coming along with her," Louis replied.

During the short trip to the hospital, Anne continued to shake and sob as Louis held her hand and tried his best to comfort her, and upon her arrival in the emergency room, she was given a shot of Valium. Louis sat at her side holding her hand as he waited for the medication to take effect. Gradually her breathing returned to normal, and she stopped crying.

"Better now?" Louis asked as his fingers swept the damp hair back from her face.

She nodded. "Did you hear what that policeman said?"

Louis nodded.

"We could have been decapitated." She drew a deep, ragged sigh. "Remember Christmas Day, when you asked me what was wrong and I told you about Jane cheating on George? Well, that wasn't all that was wrong." She saw that his dark eyes were warm with concern. "I had that dream again, Louis. Really it's more like a nightmare. It's a bright spring day, and I'm kneeling in sawdust, and Henry is there, and I can see in his eyes how much he hates me, and there's a man with a sword, and I just _know_ I'm about to die, that he's gonna k-kill me - " She had to pause for breath. "I don't know why I keep having it, but today, when that policeman said what he did about the sheet rock - it was just like being back in that dream. If you hadn't pushed me down when you did - you saved me, Louis. I would have died if you hadn't pushed me down. Thank you!"

He chuckled as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "Oh, that's all right! I'm just glad we're both safe now."

He stayed at her side until she drifted into a peaceful sleep, then went to call his insurance company and a towing service. He'd see about getting a settlement from the company that owned the eighteen wheeler later.

The next call he made was to Anne's parents. Liz answered the telephone.

"Mrs. Boleyn? Hi, this is Louis Bourbon. Please don't worry, Anne's fine, but she and I were in a car accident. A piece of sheet rock from the truck in front of us went through the windshield. Like I said, Anne's fine. She's resting right now. I just thought you should know."

"Oh my God! How did this happen? Were you tailgating?"

"No, ma'am. I was following at a safe distance. One of the knots holding the sheet rock came loose. I had just enough time to get both of us out of the way before it came crashing through my windshield."

A long silence followed. "You say Anne wasn't injured at all?" Liz asked at last.

"No, ma'am. She wasn't."

"Then why is she in the hospital?"

"She was very badly frightened by the way the accident happened. She was so upset they had to give her a tranquilizer, but like I said, she's fine now. She's sleeping peacefully."

"I'll be there right away!"

Twenty minutes later, Thomas and Liz Boleyn arrived. Anne was still asleep when they entered the room. Louis started to shake her awake, but Liz stopped him.

"That's all right. Don't disturb her. I just had to see for myself that she's all right."

"All this way for nothing," Thomas grumbled as he and his wife turned to leave.

* * *

The Valium had worn off by the following morning, and Anne lay in bed staring at the ceiling and thinking about what a fool she'd made of herself the previous day. She'd always thought of herself as being calm. cool, collected, and perfectly capable of dealing with any emergency that came up, yet she'd totally lost it after the accident,

Why had it affected her so?

Although surely he must have been badly frightened as well, Louis had remained in control the entire time. She knew now that beneath his meek, passive exterior lay a reserve of quiet inner strength, a firm resolve she couldn't help but admire.

She'd see him again soon, as he'd offered to take her home in his rental car. How could she ever face him again after how she'd acted?


	17. On A Lazy Sunday Afternoon

The door swung open, and he swept in, giving her an easy smile. "Hey! Better today? You look like you feel a lot better."

"Yeah." She gave him a lopsided grin in return. "Just sitting here feeling kind of stupid about the way I acted."

He frowned. "Stupid for acting scared? I don't think so. It's perfectly normal to be afraid when you're seconds away from being killed!"

"Well, it's over now, and I just want to forget about it and enjoy the rest of the weekend," Anne told him.

"Sounds like a plan! But we have to get you out of here first."

The doctor arrived soon and released her to go home. She slipped into the restroom to change back into her clothes and then walked out of the hospital holding hands with Louis. He led her to the rental car, and they got in.

"So, what would you like to do on a lazy Sunday afternoon?" he asked as he drove out of the parking lot.

"Maybe we should swing by my parents', since I was asleep when they came by yesterday," Anne suggested.

"Sounds great to me."

Within moments they were at the Boleyns, where they found Thomas watching television while Liz did needlework. She gave Anne a warm hug when she saw her.

"Thanks so much for coming!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, that's fine," Anne replied. "I just wanted to stop in and say hello, since I was asleep when you came by the hospital yesterday." She looked over at Thomas. "Hi, Dad."

He nodded. "Hello, Anne."

"Why don't you stay awhile?" Liz suggested. "There's plenty of leftovers."

Louis and Anne looked at each other. "Sure, why not?" Anne replied.

They stayed several hours and ate microwaved pot roast and vegetables, and when it got dark, Louis drove Anne home. "Please come in with me," she begged after he'd stopped the car. "I don't feel like being alone right now."

Louis hesitated for just a moment, then followed her up to her apartment. Once there, he sat down on the sofa while Anne went into the kitchen and returned several seconds later with two wine coolers. She handed one to Louis, then turned the CD player on. 'I'll Make Love To You' by Boys 2 Men began to play.

"Is this a promise?" Louis nodded toward the CD player as he sipped his wine cooler.

Anne smiled. "Do you want it to be?"

"I - um - " He had to clear his throat. "You're a beautiful woman, Anne, and I'm very strongly attracted to you."

 _"How_ strongly?" Her voice was a throaty whisper.

Louis' face felt as if it were on fire. "So strongly I - I'm going crazy with wanting you."

"Show me." Her lips were on his, her fingers running themselves through his hair. Suddenly it was hot, much too hot, and he could hardly catch his breath. Anne's tongue was in his mouth, dancing with his own,while her fingers swept over his chest, unbuttoning his shirt and peeling it from his body, exposing his bare chest with its erect nipples, and now her fingers were on them, stroking them, teasing them. He groaned and instinctively lay back on the sofa.

Her hand was like a hot breath as it covered the bulge in the front of his pants, and her lips placed a trail of kisses down the front of his chest. Unable to take it anymore, he groaned again and involuntarily thrust his hips forward. Euphoria surged through him as her fingers unzipped his pants and tugged them and his underwear off.

The next thing he knew, her mouth had enclosed him, her lips and tongue bringing him the most exquisite pleasure. His breath came hard and fast as he struggled to hold back, then, realizing release was inevitable, withdrew from her mouth. She gave him a questioning look.

"I - thought you wouldn't want _that - "_ he nodded toward it - "In your mouth." He gave a nervous giggle as he blushed deep red, and then her mouth was on his again, hungrily exploring. His hands found her breasts and he began to massage them as if he were rolling out dough. She moaned and slipped first her shirt, then her bra, off. Desire surged within him as he took one perfect little rosebud nipple into his mouth and suckled it. While he did that, she finished undressing. By now he was hard again, and she moved him into position and slipped him inside herself, and their mutual longing was satisfied, right there on her sofa.

Afterwards, they held one another tight until their breathing had returned to normal.

"I might have just got you pregnant," said Louis.

"You didn't," Anne assured him. "It's the wrong time of the month for that."

"Are you sure?" he asked.

She nodded, sweeping damp locks of dark hair back from his face. "Oh my darling Louis, you really do know how to turn me on!"

"So did I satisfy you, then?" He felt himself go limp with relief.

"Very much so. And did I you?"

"Oh, Anne - " He buried his face in her hair.

"You _are_ staying the night, aren't you?" she asked him.

"I have nothing to change into, and I have work tomorrow," he pointed out.

"So do I." She bit her bottom lip. "I'm pretty sure some of George's clothes are around here somewhere. You look like you're about the same size as him, and I'll set the alarm for six tomorrow. That'll give us time to have breakfast together."

"Great!" He grinned.

She offered him the use of the shower, but gentleman that he was, he insisted she go first. "We'll shower together," she decided. So they did, lovingly washing each other off.

Afterwards, as she lay in his arms in her bed that night, she thought about how very long it had been since she'd shared her body, her life, with a man. After Henry had left, it had seemed no man would ever want her again, and then suddenly, Louis had been there one day - shy, humble Louis with his gentle ways had made her smile again, had brought joy into her life once more, and she couldn't thank him enough.


	18. The Morning After

The continuous roll of the drums was deafening. Please make it stop, Louis begged as he looked up at the steep steps, knowing he had no other choice but to climb them. People were screaming, and to his utter amazement, he realized it was for his blood. But what had he done? Whatever it was, he was certainly sorry, but he wished someone would tell him so he could apologize.

They reached for his hands to bind them, and panic surged through him as, for one of the very few times in his life, he rebelled and put up a struggle.

"Sire." A gentle reprimand. He held his hands out to them.

He found that a priest was beside him, holding him, supporting him. He looked down to see he was dressed in eighteenth century French peasant's garb. Somewhere way back there, he knew she was waiting. He was supposed to have gone to see her. He'd promised, and he never broke his promises.

But they had told him not to see her.

The drums had stopped now, and all was quiet as he walked the short distance to the steep steps and began to climb them.

When he finally reached the top, he saw it, and his heart froze with terror. He tried to run but they were holding him, pushing him down, moving him into position. A switch was pulled, and a blade fell -

He gasped awake, his heart pounding, his brow drenched with sweat. Why on earth had the nightmare returned now, of all times? He looked over to see, not Marie's blonde curls, but Anne's dark tresses, spread fan-like across the pillow. He remembered her nightmare, the one she'd told him about. _You both would have been decapitated._

He knew he could never, ever tell her about his own nightmare.

As he watched her sleep, her chest gently rising and falling, an overwhelming love swept over him, and with it came the intense desire to protect her, even with his own life if necessary.

The alarm rang, and she yawned, stretching her arms wide, and blinked awake. Her eyes met his, and they both smiled.

"I can't think of anything lovelier than waking up to find you in bed with me," she said. His response was to lean over and kiss her lips.

"I'd better get breakfast started," she mumbled, sitting up in bed. "Frozen strawberry waffles and yogurt OK? I don't have a waffle iron, and I'm too lazy to make them from scratch anyway, like my Mom always did."

"Whatever you have is fine with me." He wished he could fix breakfast for her instead of the other way around, but it was her home, her kitchen. The next time we do this will be at my place, he promised himself.

If there _is_ a next time. He fervently hoped there would be.

Anne went to the kitchen, put the coffee on to percolate, and put the waffles into the toaster, while Louis stood awkwardly, wondering what to do with himself. A few minutes later, they were seated across from each other at the small table in Anne's combination kitchen/dining room. The margarine wouldn't melt on the waffles, so she nuked them for a few seconds, which rendered them soggy and rubbery.

"If I'd known you were staying over, I would have been better prepared," she apologized.

"Oh no, this is fine," Louis insisted.

As they both had to leave soon, there was little time for chit chat. Louis finished his breakfast, thanked Anne and gave her a hurried kiss goodbye, stopped briefly by his own place for fresh clothing, then hurried on to work.

* * *

There must have been a special spring in Anne's step as she went in to work that morning, for Anna noticed something different about her right away.

"Oh, something very special happened for you, didn't it?" Her eyes were dancing with mischief.

"You mean it shows?" asked Anne.

"It sure does!" Anna grinned. "It's Louis, isn't it? Did you spend the night with him last night?"

Anne blushed and giggled.

"Oh, you did!" Anna giggled along with her.

The morning flew by, the memories of Louis' warmth, his touch, his masculine scent, his hot breath on her skin, lingering on her mind, both calming and exciting her.

Just a tiny sliver of anxiety went up her spine. She'd completely bared herself to him, exposed all her vulnerabilities. What would he think of her now? Had the passion they'd shared drawn him closer to her or cooled the feelings she knew he'd previously felt?

The telephone was ringing when she got home. She dropped her purse and raced to answer it before fully shutting the door. "Louis?"

"You'll never believed what just happened!" Kitty whined.

"Oh, it's you, Kitty." Anne struggled to hide her disappointment from her cousin. "What is it?"

"Henry hit on me!" the young woman exclaimed. "Jane and I were in line at the theater yesterday afternoon when I felt someone pinch my butt. When I turned around to see who it was, I saw him grinning at me."

"That's disgusting!" Anne assumed that Kitty either didn't know about Tom and Jane or didn't care.

"I'll say! What a creep! How did you actually stay married to him so long?"

"Well, Kitty, at the time I thought I loved him."

"Yeah, I guess he can put on a good front for awhile, can't he? Hey, how's your love life going?"

"I'm still seeing Louis. We were almost killed Saturday. A piece of sheet rock from a truck in front of us fell off and crashed through the windshield. If Louis hadn't pushed us both down when he did, we would have been - " Unable to say the word, she bit her bottom lip as she blinked back tears.

"Oh my God - that's so scary!" Kitty squealed. "I'm sure glad you're all right!"

"Thanks. I was so shaken up the hospital kept me overnight, and I asked Louis to spend the night with me last night because I was scared of being alone."

"Oh!" Kitty giggled. "And how was it?"

Anne smiled. "We had a very nice time together."

"Tell me! I want all the details!"

"Maybe another time. I just now got in from work. All I want is a few minutes of relaxation and a cold drink."

Besides, perhaps Louis would call soon.


	19. Louis's Surprise

Louis paced back and forth, glancing at the telephone with apprehension every few seconds. Call her, you idiot, a voice in his head told him. He wiped his sweaty palms on his pants. But what if she's busy? another voice in his head countered. What if she gets mad at you for interrupting her? What if she was just pretending to be nice and she really never wants to see you again?

As that last scenario was too awful to contemplate, Louis decided he'd wait until after dinner to call her, but after dinner, a documentary on PBS he'd been dying to see for weeks finally came on. Louis began watching it at seven o'clock, and by eight thirty, he'd dozed off.

* * *

As the evening wore on and Louis still didn't call, Anne grew more and more anxious. She barely touched her dinner, then tried to watch a movie, later picked up a novel, but wasn't able to concentrate on either.

Should I call him? she asked herself. No, she decided. That would make me look desperate, clingy, possibly even obsessed.

She'd given up and accepted she'd probably never hear from him again when the telephone rang at a quarter to ten. Scarcely daring to hope it might be him, she let it ring one more time, then picked the receiver up.

"Hello?"

"Anne?"

"Louis!"

They both laughed.

"How are you? Are you OK?" asked Louis.

"I'm fine," she replied as relief surged through her body. "Just tired from working hard all day. How are you?"

"I'm all right. I would have called you sooner, but there was this program on about hunting rifles and I got really interested in it." He licked his lips. "I hope I'm not calling too late."

"Oh no, that's fine!" She bit her bottom lip as she heard Louis clear his throat.

"I, um, I just wanted to say I really enjoyed staying over with you last night. It was, um, very nice." Darling Louis. She could just see him blushing a dozen shades of crimson.

"Why, thank you, Louis. I enjoyed our time together as well."

"Did I do all right, then?"

"You did fine, Louis. If every man were as gentle and considerate as you, the world would be a wonderful place." Her mind drifted back to the first time she and Henry had made love. He'd done everything just right, his expertise in the art of how to satisfy a woman obvious in his every touch. There had been none of the clumsy fumbling of a novice lover.

After it had ended, she'd wondered whether she could ever find another man who could satisfy her like he had.

"Wow, thanks!" She heard the relief in his voice and found it endearing. "You're the first woman I've been with like that since Marie."

She believed him readily. His eagerness, combined with insecurity, had been all too obvious, yet there had also been a sweetness, an honest innocence about him, that had more than made up for it.

"So, shall we do something again this weekend?" he asked.

"We'd better!"

* * *

"I don't know," said George. "Twenty-one _does_ seem a bit young."

He and Anne were at the mall, where she was helping him pick out new bathroom towels and wash cloths.

"She's very mature for her age," Anne replied. "She prefers opera music to hip hop."

"Hip hop isn't so bad." George's eyes widened. "Well, look who's here! Hey there, Kitty!"

"Well, hello, cousin and cousin." Kitty nodded at George, then at Anne. Anne saw she was pushing a stroller which contained a sleeping Edward, and Henry was walking beside them.

"Look, Anne!"

Kitty held out her hand, and Anne saw on her ring finger was a huge diamond, the largest she'd ever seen. It had to be at least five carats.

George whistled. "Would you look at that!"

"Henry gave it to me," said Kitty. "We're planning to get married some time this summer." She giggled. Too stunned to respond, Anne and George just watched as Henry and Kitty walked away.

"I don't believe it!" Anne spluttered once they were out of earshot. "She called me just a few days ago complaining about how he'd hit on her, and now they're engaged?"

George laughed and shook his head. "A rock that size could change plenty of women's minds."

Anne sighed. "I feel sorry for her. Someday she'll realize what he really is, and by then, it will be too late."

George placed a caring arm around her and held her close.

* * *

"Here, these are for you." A smiling Louis handed Anne a bouquet of red roses. She took them from him and buried her nose in the blossoms, inhaling their intoxicating scent.

"Thank you, they're lovely!" she told him. "Are we ready to go, then?"

She followed him back out to his car. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise!" he told her.

As they reached the corner of St. Louis Street and Royal Street, she squealed with excitement. "Oh, we're going on a carriage ride!"

Louis grinned as he parked the car, and they walked to the corner hand in hand. Louis bought their tickets, and they climbed aboard the carriage. They sat beside each other, facing forward.

"I've never done this before!" Anne told Louis.

He chuckled. "Well, I'm honored to be the man to take you on your very first carriage ride."

As she rode through the streets of the city she'd called home since her teen years, memories of previous family outings and dates with various boys, and later, men, came flooding back to Anne. She was enjoying herself so much a wave of disappointment washed over her as the ride came to an end.

"I hope you enjoyed it," Louis said as he helped her down from the carriage.

"That was awesome!" she replied.

"That was only the beginning," said Louis. "More surprises await you when we get back to my place."


	20. The Blue Diamond

"I can't wait!" Anne said as Louis parked in front of his humble abode. He only grinned as he opened his car door.

Anne entered the small house to find candles and vases with flowers placed in strategic places around the living room. The aroma of gardenia permeated the room.

Anne breathed in deeply. "Mm, it smells so nice!"

"After you, my lady." As Louis motioned her into the dining room, she felt as if she were entering a sultan's lair. With all the blinds drawn, the only light came from the group of candles in the middle of the table. Louis pulled a chair out for her, and she sat down. Then he walked into the living room and inserted an Enrique Iglesias CD into the CD player.

"Dinner's coming right up," he told her as he strode to the kitchen, returning with a crock pot. He sat it down on a trivet and lifted its lid, and Anne inhaled the delicious aroma of the sirloin tip roast and vegetables inside.

"Mm!" she exulted.

Louis served her, then himself. Anne took a bite, letting the flavor linger on her tongue for as long as possible.

"It's delicious! I didn't know you could cook!"

Louis grinned. "It's one of my best kept secrets."

"I can't remember the last time I experienced such luxury!" Anne remarked.

"Wait till you see what's for dessert," Louis replied.

It turned out to be Bourbon bread pudding.

"Did you make this too?" asked Anne.

"No, it's from a deli," Louis told her. "Would you like some cream to go with it?"

"Yes, please." She dreaded taking the last bite, as she wanted the sensation to never end. But at last it did, and when Louis asked if she wanted seconds, she shook her head, not wanting to look greedy.

Louis collected the dirty dishes and took them to the sink, put the leftovers away, then reached for her hand. She gave it to him, and he led her to the bathroom, where she saw a sight that made her squeal with delight.

As in the dining room, the lights were turned out, and by the glow of candlelight, she saw rose petals floating on top of the water in the bathtub.

"How romantic!" she sighed.

Louis gave her an uncertain smile, and when she began to remove his shirt, he beamed. Slowly they undressed each other, removing clothing piece by piece, until they were both naked. Anne glanced at Louis and was proud to see he was already fully aroused. She quickly averted her eyes, as she didn't want to embarrass him by staring.

He took her hand, and they stepped into the tub together. Right away, he picked up a soft cloth and began to wash her all over, and she did the same for him. When they were finished, he grabbed a big fluffy towel and dried her off. Then he handed it to her, and she did the same for him. Then he took her by the hand and led her into the bedroom.

"Wait just a sec." He opened a top drawer and retrieved an object. He fastened it around her neck, then switched on the light so she could look into the mirror. When she did so, she gasped.

The necklace was made of white gold and held a large, multi-faceted blue diamond. "Oh, I couldn't!" said Anne, thinking Louis meant for her to keep it.

"I just wanted to see how it looked on you," he explained. "It was my grandfather's, passed down to him from his great grandfather. It's been in the family for over a century."

"Wow!" Anne admired the necklace in the mirror, observing how well it complimented her long, slender neck. _I have but a little neck._ She winced as the nightmare returned to her in its hideous glory.

"It looks even better on you than it did on Marie," Louis remarked. His words stung a bit, but knowing by now his tendency for saying awkward things at inappropriate times, Anne overlooked the comment.

"Well, I'm not Marie," she stated. "I'm Anne."

He giggled. "I know!"

He removed the necklace and returned it to its storage place. Then she took his hand and pulled him down onto the bed with her and, as they made love, she imagined they were in the master bedroom at the Palace in Versailles, ensconced within the soft sheets of the large canopied bed.

* * *

The next morning, Louis awakened to find Anne lying beside him, her eyes closed, long eyelashes soft against her cheeks, her red lips slightly parted. Unlike the first time they'd made love, last night's ministrations had been slow, relaxed, both of them taking the time to learn what most pleased the other.

He'd wanted it to go on forever.

As badly as he wanted to just continue gazing at her, his stomach rumbled in impatience, and he crept from beneath the sheets and went into the kitchen, where he was soon busily cooking.

* * *

Anne awoke to the aroma of coffee brewing. She felt the empty sheets beside her and knew Louis was already up, so she got out of bed and padded into the kitchen, where she saw him standing at the stove, flipping homemade pancakes onto plates.

"Good morning!" she said as she walked up behind him and hugged him from behind.

"Good morning." He turned to her and kissed her lips. "I get to treat you this time instead of the other way around."

"Mm. Everything looks and smells very nice."

"You're in for a real treat," he told her.

"Ah, I already had that last night." She laughed as she watched him blush.

He nodded toward the dining room. "Have a seat. Breakfast is coming right up."

She did as he asked, and a few minutes later, he brought in steaming cups of coffee followed by plates piled high with mouth-watering food.

"You're really spoiling me!" Anne enthused as she dug in.

"Nothing in the world could give me more pleasure," he told her, enjoying the way her black eyes sparkled.

They chattered and giggled as they ate, playfully feeding each other morsels of food, and Louis soon felt as if he'd known her his entire life. When they were finished eating, they cleaned up together. Louis was washing dishes when Anne's hand brushed suggestively across the front of his shorts. Just that slight touch made him quiver.

"Care for another round?" Anne tittered as s he took his hand and led him back to the bedroom.


	21. Protective Older Brothers

Elisabeth jumped when she heard the doorbell ring. Looking through the peephole, she saw a young man who looked to be about thirty. He had short brown hair, blue eyes, and a neatly trimmed beard. He wore navy blue slacks and a dark green shirt and had a red beret on his head.

She opened the door and smiled at him. "You must be George."

"At your service, madam, and you must be Elizabeth." He gave he a courtly bow. She had the urge to giggle but bit her lower lip.

"Louis and Anne are waiting in the car." He offered her his arm, and when she took it, he led her to Louis's car. Ever the gentleman, he opened the door on her side before walking around to his own.

"How are you?" asked Louis as she got herself settled.

"I'm fine, thanks," Elisabeth told her brother. His presence had a calming effect on her, as it always did. "How are you?"

"We're both doing well." He wore beige pants with a light blue shirt, while Anne wore black slacks with a hot pink blouse.

Louis drove to the restaurant and parked, and they all went inside.

The walls of the dining room were green, and the ceiling was beige. Many framed paintings hung on the walls, and a chandelier hung from the ceiling. The tables were round and covered with white tablecloths, and the chairs were brown.

The hostess met them at the front and led them to their table.

The waiter turned out to be a swarthy young man with dark hair and eyes. His name tag read 'Pierre.'

"Can I start you off with some drinks?" he asked.

"White wine OK for all?" Louis glanced around the table, and the others all nodded.

Surveying the menu, Anne selected a moderately-priced meal, out of consideration for Louis.

"Oh, go ahead and order the lobster tails," he encouraged. "I know you want them."

"Very well, as long as you share them with me," she told him.

"Of course I will."

While waiting for their meal to arrive, Elisabeth glanced at George. He smiled at her, and a feeling of warmth flooded her body. She hadn't been on very many dates, and she knew George was a few years older than she was. She suspected he was quite experienced as well, and that thought made her feel very insecure.

"Anne told me you're studying art at Tulane," he told her. "How are your classes going?"

"Very well so far," she replied. "I plan to use spring break to polish up on my techniques. How is your job going?"

"Well enough. Spring break's great, isn't it? Well, for you it must be. I get to spend the first part of it grading exams." He grimaced, and Elisabeth giggled.

"You're a teacher, then."

"I teach history at Decatur High."

"I think that's wonderful, that you're teaching young people about the past. History is so important."

"Well, it pays the bills, anyway."

Their food arrived, and they dug in. Having lived in New Orleans her entire life, Elisabeth was familiar with the cousine and had her personal favorites, which included Crawfish Etouffee. She'd eaten hardly anything all day and was starving but, conscious of the impression she was making on George, took only small, dainty bites of her meal.

George, who was watching her, smiled to himself. In the brief amount of time he'd known her, he could already tell she was as different from Jill Parker as night was from day. From her personality as well as her age, he deduced she didn't have much experience with men, and that was fine with him, as he much preferred it to the opposite.

As she enjoyed her lobster tails, Anne observed the interaction between her brother and Louis's sister and was glad he'd suggested the double date. She'd found such happiness with Louis and wanted her brother to experience the same happiness.

When they were finished eating, Louis and George split the bill, and then Louis took first Elisabeth home, then George.

"See, I _told_ you he'd treat her like a lady!" Anne said as they watched George walk away.

"So far he has." Louis gave a small smile, and Anne marveled at how his normally meek personality underwent a radical change in matters concerning Elisabeth. With a chuckle, she reflected the same was true of George where she was concerned.

"What's so funny?" asked Louis.

"Protective older brothers," Anne replied.

Louis laughed. "We _are_ a formidable breed."

They reached Anne's home. "Thank you very much for dinner," said Anne as he walked her to her door.

"You're quite welcome," he replied. "It was my pleasure."

"You _are_ coming inside for drinks, aren't you?"

"I was just waiting for you to ask."

She gave him a knowing wink, and he blushed.

* * *

Elisabeth wasn't surprised to see her mother sitting on the sofa doing needlework as she entered the house. Mrs. Bourbon looked up as soon as she heard her daughter's soft footsteps.

"Hello, dear," she greeted Elisabeth. "How did your date go?"

"It went fine, Mom," the young woman replied. "George seems to be really nice. I hope he asks me out again."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself." Mrs. Bourbon returned to her needlework as Elisabeth went to her bedroom to change into her nightgown. Her French poodle, Fifi, sat on her bed looking dolefully at her. She stuck her bottom lip out playfully.

"Oh, come on, Fifi. You know I have to go other places sometimes, but I always come right back home to you, don't I?" She petted Fifi's soft white fur, and the dog rolled over on her back.

Elisabeth chuckled as she stroked Fifi's belly. "I know how much you like tummy rubs." She undressed and retrieved her favorite nightgown from her dresser, then pulled it over her head and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.


	22. Charlie's Wedding

"Guess what," Louis said to Anne as they met up at the beginning of the bike trail. "My brother Charlie's getting married in a couple of weeks."

"I don't believe it!" Anne replied as she climbed onto her bike. She'd talked Louis into the outing, as they both knew he needed the exercise. "You mean he actually decided to settle down with just _one_ woman?"

Louis laughed. "More like he _has_ to. He got her pregnant."

"Oh, so you're to be an uncle, then! Congratulations!" Anne did her best to ignore the stab of envy she felt in her gut. "What's his fiancee's name?"

"Terri Savoy. He's only known her a few weeks - since about January, I think."

"Wow." A spring breeze blew through Anne's long ebony locks. "Sometimes I think it's weird how different you and Charlie are."

"What do you mean?"

"Well - I mean, with women." Anne found it hard to say exactly what she meant.

"Oh, yeah. They've always been really drawn to him, all right." Louis sighed.

Anne gave him a reassuring smile. "I love you just the way you are, Louis."

"Thanks, Anne."

"So where is this wedding to be held?"

"St. Mary's. You know where it is, right?"

"I go past it all the time, but I've never been inside it before."

"That's right, you're a Protestant, aren't you?"

"Yeah. My family and I go to St. Anna's Anglican Church. We've gone there ever since we moved here."

An awkward silence followed.

"That's OK with you, isn't it?" Anne asked after awhile.

"Of course it is. It's never made any difference to me what religion you are."

"I'm so glad!"

Louis grinned. "Were you really worried about it?"

Anne shrugged. "Sometimes I just get really silly about things."

That evening, Anne went to the mall to look for a present for Charlie and Terri. She'd only met Charlie a couple of times, and of course Terri was a complete stranger, so she had no idea what they'd like. In the end, she decided she couldn't go wrong with a set of monogrammed silverware.

On the day of the wedding, Louis picked Anne up at her home. He was wearing a black suit with a white shirt and grey tie. Anne wore a white dress with a lace and flower design on the front. She wore white heels.

Louis gulped when he first saw her. "Wow, Anne, you're really beautiful!"

"Thanks. You look really nice yourself," Anne replied.

Soon they arrived at the large, beige church. Louis parked, and they went inside. The church's interior was gold, and there was a pillar on each side, and multiple statues were in front. The floor was made of highly polished wood, and the pews were made of dark brown wood with intricate designs carved at the ends. Anne and Louis went to where Louis's parents were seated.

"It's so good to see you again, darling," Mrs. Bourbon told Anne as she embraced her.

"It's good to see you again, too," Anne replied.

Soon it was time for the service to begin. Organ music played as Terri walked down the aisle toward her waiting groom. Anne saw she was petite and had a larger-than-average nose but was nicely tanned. She had long brown hair and grey eyes.

As the couple repeated their vows, Anne's mind went back to her own wedding, how young and naive she'd been. She remembered her father's beaming face from the front row. Henry had been so charming, so gallant, and had seemed so sincere. She'd been sure their love would last forever.

What a fool she'd been!

* * *

Louis clasped Anne's hand as he listened to his brother exchange vows with the woman he claimed to love. Although he bore Charlie no ill will, he couldn't help but think how nice it would be if it were himself and Anne at the front of the church instead of Charlie and Terri. After the hurt caused by Marie's deception and betrayal, Anne had made him feel wanted and desirable again.

Yet when he remembered the glint in Thomas Boleyn's eyes, he quaked inside. Surely the greedy, materialistic, power-hungry attorney would never accept an humble locksmith as a son-in-law.

Oh well, at least he and Anne could still see each other as often as they wanted, and even spend an occasional night together.

* * *

The ceremony ended, and a reception followed in the church fellowship hall. Louis and Anne joined the rest of his and Terri's families. He barely knew the young woman and felt uneasy at the thought of approaching her, but he wanted to do the polite thing and welcome her to the family.

"Um, Terri?" he said to her.

"Louis! It's good to see you again. I'm glad you could come." She smiled as she shook his hand. Anne appeared beside him.

"This is my friend, Anne Boleyn," he told Terri.

"Nice to meet you." Terri shook Anne's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," said Anne. "Have you always lived around here?"

"I'm from Baton Rouge," Terri replied. "I moved here to go to Tulane and ended up getting a job and staying here after I graduated. What about you?"

"I'm from Pensacola, Florida," Anne told her. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?"

"I come from a pretty big family," Terri replied. "I have three brothers and three sisters. I'm the third oldest. How many brothers and sisters do you have?"

"That's my brother, George, over there." Anne nodded toward George and Elisabeth, who stood chatting with a middle-aged couple Anne assumed to be Terri's parents. "I have a sister, too. Her name's Mary. She's married and has two kids. When's your baby due?"

"December third. Do you have any kids?"

Anne shook her head, feeling a stab of pain at the memory of the miscarriage. She noticed a woman who bore a strong resemblance to Terri standing near George and Elizabeth.

"That's my sister Carla," said Terri, as if she were reading Anne's mind. "She's jealous because she's three years older than me and still single."

Anne didn't like the way Carla was looking at George at all - as if he was a t-bone steak and she was starving.


End file.
